Alcohol-free wine has come a long way, but many chefs still approach it with skepticism. According to Francois Latapie, brand ambassador for Maison Noel de France, that reputation comes from misunderstanding what dealcoholized wine can be when it starts with the right foundation.
We sat down with Francois to talk about his background, the evolution of alcohol-free wine, and why chefs are uniquely positioned to rethink how these wines belong at the table.
Q: Can you share a bit about your background and how you found your way into the wine world?
Francois:
“I actually have a food & beverage background. I went to hotel and restaurant school in France. I cooked for seven years in really fancy kitchens, then moved into service and management. I worked in top restaurants, and eventually I went on my own and managed my own restaurants for about 30 years.”
Wine, he explains, was never optional.
“It was always and still is more than ever a necessity. You integrate wine into the business, into the food, into the experience. I started visiting vineyards, became friends with winemakers, and developed a huge interest not just in wine, but in the wine world. The people. The obsession of finding great bottles and sharing them over great meals.”
That lifelong connection to food and hospitality eventually led him into consulting and, unexpectedly, into non-alcoholic wine.
Q: What first inspired the focus on dealcoholized wine at Maison Noel de France?
Francois:
“The new non-alcoholic products were actually made by beer makers. Twenty years ago, if I told you to drink a non-alcoholic beer, you would look at me like I was from another planet. But they changed that.” Wine followed.
He explains that the technology to remove alcohol has existed for decades, particularly in Germany.
“The Germans actually invented the process in the 1920s. It was more about chemistry, about process and technology. But nobody thought it could become a product people would enjoy.”
Once non-alcoholic beer succeeded, wine followed.
“People realized you don’t need to be a wine-producing country to make a non-alcoholic wine. You need the tools. You need the process.”
After tasting hundreds of options globally, Francois and his team saw a clear difference in quality.
“We want to always be dealcoholized wine,” he says. “That means real wine first. Then you remove the alcohol. Not aromatic water with spices and berries.”
Q: Many chefs associate alcohol-free wine with sweetness or lack of depth. Why does that happen?
Francois:
“It’s sweet when it’s cheap. Sweetness is introduced to compensate for the lack of alcohol. If you invest more, not just money but interest, and you start with a real wine, the result will not be sweet.”
He compares it to baking.
“If you take a good chocolate, you can make a good chocolate cake. If your chocolate only has five percent cocoa, you already lost. It’s the same thing with dealcoholized wine.”
For Maison Noel de France, that means starting with wines that already have structure, acidity, and balance before alcohol is ever removed.
Q: Without getting too technical, how do you describe the care that goes into preserving aroma and structure?
Francois:
“You need the same thing you need to make great wine. A really good winemaker. Good tools. And knowledge.”
He’s quick to point out that the process keeps improving.
“They learn every day. Ten years ago, five years ago, even last year, it wasn’t the same. No one expects a dealcoholized Bordeaux to be exactly like a real Bordeaux. But every year, it gets closer.”
He compares it to technology.
“Think about your phone. Your old one was good, but the new one is even better. That’s what’s happening here.”
Q: How do you talk to chefs who don’t currently offer alcohol-free wine pairings?
Francois:
“I would rather someone drink dealcoholized red wine with their steak than drink mineral water or soda.”
He believes chefs naturally understand this.
“Wine is like food. It has many dimensions. It’s liquid, but it’s something you pair with what you eat. Chefs always think about harmony.”
At a recent chef tasting, he saw firsthand how pairing changes perception.
“When chefs taste the wine with food, they get it. They understand it belongs at the table.”
He adds that offering choice matters.
“Some people don’t drink for health reasons, religious reasons, or they just want a break. Let the customer decide.”
Q: What do you enjoy most about talking to chefs about these wines?
Francois:
“I used to be a chef, so I know how they think. They speak with their heart. Food is their language.”
He encourages chefs to stay curious.
“Break the wall between the kitchen and the dining room. The restaurant is a whole thing. Think about your guests and please them as much as you can.”
Why Chefs Should Care
Maison Noel de France isn’t trying to replace traditional wine. It’s offering chefs another way to protect the integrity of their food while meeting modern guest expectations. These wines are built for pairing, balance, and choice.
As Francois puts it:
“This is about creating harmony between what people eat and what people drink, without forcing them to include alcohol.”
You guide to storage and serving Maison Noel wines:
White, Rosé & Sparkling Wines – Serve chilled. Once opened, keep refrigerated 32°F to 39°F and consume within the day.
Red Wine Serve cold 55°F – Store in a cool, dry and odorless place. Once opened, keep refrigerated 32°F to 39°F and consume within the day.
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