Friend coming over for a meal - alternative to wine?

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I have a friend coming around for tea/dinner next week. I'd like to offer her something a bit more adult than orange squash with our meal 😅

What drink (non-alcoholic) can I serve as a wine alternative?

Is non-alcoholic wine the answer? If so, what's a good one?

Thank you!

I really like Robinsons crushed lime and mint cordial. Serve it in a jug with mint leaves, slices of lime and ice cubes.

I like Nozeco with a bit of orange juice in it, it tastes like a Buck's Fizz.

I wouldn’t really want any of these drinks with a meal. Just water is better, and have your seedlip etc as an aperitif. Also agree with pp that I’d offer my companion a glass of wine I’m even if I wasn’t having any.

The Fevertree flavoured tonic waters are nice without gin, and are not sweet, which is the issue with so many soft drinks.

Something like a flavoured tonic water. I like Fever Tree, they do things like raspberry lemonade, Sicilian lemonade etc as well as the tonic water options.

Sainsburys do a really nice dealcoholised sparkling wine in their taste the difference range. It’s £3.50 a bottle

Elderflower was my first thought also.

I tried Shloer when I was driving the other day - absolutely fucking awful, just really sweet and minging, like fizzy sugar with no other taste. I guess some people may like it but I don't think it's the default answer. It's an absolute shocker if you were expecting something that tastes like wine. I remember having actual grape juice as a kid and it didn't taste like Shloer!

I'd prefer Diet Coke, ginger beer, Becks Blue, lime cordial with fizzy water or San Pelligrino limonata.

Non-alcoholic monito cocktails 😃😃😃

soda water
Dash of lime juice (not too much)
lots of fresh mint leaves, a little crushed
half a teaspoon of brown sugar

I don’t drink alcohol having given it up but I really don’t mind McGuigan zero Shiraz for a non-a wine. That or Wednesday’s Domaine are pretty nice (to me). I generally have alcohol free beer though.

Sparkling kombucha - the one that comes in a champagne style bottle rather than a can.

My friend served plain tonic water & slice of lemon & ice, didn't think I'd like it but it was lovely

Whose decision is it to not drink wine on a school night?

I’d absolutely drink wine on a school night and think it was absolutely bizarre to be prescribed dry dinner just because it’s a Tuesday.

Have some wine or beer in, and offer it. If it’s a rose or a white, have some lemonade or soda in to offer an as a spritzer if they want something lighter or are driving.

if they have decided they won’t be drinking because it’s a school night….ask them what they want to drink? I wouldn’t want any of the Fentimans and Shloer stuff suggested because I don’t drink fizzy, sweet drinks with food.

I'd just have sparkling or plain water if I'm not having wine.

A Shirley Temple -

•	ice
•	150ml ginger ale, plus extra to serve (optional)
&bull;	25ml <a class="break-all" href="https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/glossary/lime-glossary" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">lime juice</a>e_
&bull;	15ml grenadine
&bull;	1 maraschino cherry, to garnish

Method
• STEP 1Fill a tall glass with ice, then pour in the ginger ale and lime juice.


• STEP 2Slowly pour in the grenadine, then garnish with the maraschino cherry. Top up with more ginger ale, if you like.

Whose decision is it to not drink wine on a school night?

Mine. I only drink on Friday and Saturday nights anyway. But I'm also not drinking alcohol at all throughout November this year.
I'd prefer not to open wine that'll just sit open in the fridge for a month until back on the booze.

I like Oddbird! It is not as sweet as many alcohol free drinks are.
https://thealcoholfreeco.co.uk/product/oddbird-spumante/?gclid=CjwKCAiA3aeqBhBzEiwAxFiOBl4G2gz-Ah7Jz5tL5faGChxBR55-AbW5wbk7phWJDP4pbADHLsmHyxoCmuEQAvD_BwE

I wouldn't be too happy going to a friends for dinner and being dictated to that I can't have a glass of wine. I don't like any of the non alcoholic sugary alternatives and enjoy a glass or two of wine when having dinner with friends even if they aren't drinking

Sorry I think it’s a bit off to invite someone round and not offer them wine with dinner with no prior warning!

Good point - I might text her and tell her wine's off the menu 😅

Elderflower, mint, and strawberry.

And what if she turns up with a bottle? I would never go to someone’s house for dinner and not take a bottle, unless they were Muslim or a newly recovering alcoholic that didn’t want wine in the house.

Fair enough, you don’t want to drink, and shouldn’t feel pressured to do so, but laying down rules for your guest is a bit much!

Soda water,loads of ice and some mint leaves?

I’ve stopped drinking alcohol and I really like sparkling water in a nice wine glass or cocktail glass with the sort of thing you’d put in a g and t such as pink peppercorns or juniper berries, lime or lemon slices.

elderflower cordial in the sparkling water makes it taste like a white wine

Alcohol free beer , shlor, sparling elderflower water