Because the alcohol-free revolution couldn’t start in Hungary. It had to be imported.
Read more ...
Blog Search
Featured posts
-
Why Epicurea? -
-
Dry November 2025 – How is it in Hungary?I decided to look into all the articles recently published in Hungary about Száraz November (Dry November).So here is...Read more ...
Why Epicurea?
Epicurea started from a simple premise: wine is a great value. It unites us as Europeans and even beyond. It brings people together, improves the taste of our food, and carries centuries of culture and craftsmanship. It’s even considered healthy.
Or is it? Well, not exactly.
When my sister in France, who has had a liver condition since she was young, told me she was buying a bottle of alcohol-free wine for a small gig, I said, wait, what?
That was the first time I heard of it.
It’s been several years since then. In the meantime, I also earned a diploma in nutritional coaching. And the thought kept coming back: wouldn’t wine be the perfect drink if we could only strip it from alcohol? It turns out, it is. The first time I tried it, it was love at first sip.
But do Hungarians feel the same?
A year after launching epicurea.hu, the answer is still complicated. Interest is growing. Curiosity is real. Sometimes the idea is met with surprise, other times with applause. But sales remain slow.
In HORECA, hesitation and delay are the norm. And so is the reliance on big, alcoholic suppliers. When big alcohol producers are present, their brands are what they want you to buy, even when our options are better and cheaper.
So we decided not to wait for anyone.
We’ve gone through hundreds of producers to curate what’s already exceptional outside of Hungary: medal-winning Bordeaux, bouquet-rich whites from Alsace, refined sparklings from the Rhine, and Spanish wines that prove 0.0% is not a compromise but a craft.
And we repeat it every time: we would love to see Hungarian estates take the step and dealcoholize their wonderful local wines.
Epicurea is the first Hungarian platform dedicated to alcohol-free drinks for adults. A home for those who want to enjoy the privileges of wine culture without the alcohol. For those who want more than a lemonade or a cola when they go out.
Our mission isn’t to remove alcohol. It’s to offer a new path for those open to tasting something different—and for those urgently needing one.
We imagine a future where restaurant menus give more than half a page to the almost childish alcohol-free options of today.
A future where we can detox in a spa with a sophisticated glass in hand.
A future where we can celebrate without pressure or judgment.
A future that’s more inclusive, also for those who are medicated, in recovery, or simply taking their friends home.
Hungarians are ready for this. They just need to see it more, trust it, and taste it. Once they do, they won’t stop drinking it.
Epicurea is here for them.
Posted in:
Behind the brands
Leave a comment
Log in to post comments