Gnista Red proxies are making their mark across the German gastro scene. Growing demand has strengthened the partnership between Gnista Spirits and The Mindful Drinking Club, Germany’s leading curator of premium alcohol-free drinks.
A growing partnership with The Mindful Drinking Club
In 2021, Jennifer Kiessling and Max Lielje opened The Mindful Drinking Club, a non-alcoholic store and tasting room in Berlin. Their shop and online store offer around 150 crafted alcohol-free drinks. Proxies, non-dealcoholised wine alternatives, are at the heart of their selection.
As interest in high-quality wine alternatives increases, The Mindful Drinking Club has expanded into distribution, supplying restaurants, bars, and independent retailers across Germany and Austria. Their work has played a key role in bringing Gnista Red proxies to a wider audience.
Why top restaurants are choosing Gnista
A frontrunner is the Michelin-starred restaurant Bonvivant in Berlin, where Head of Bar and creator of the restaurant’s drinks menu, Elias Heintz immediately embraced Gnista Red:
“To de-alcoholise wine is simple, but it’s never satisfactory. It’s based on alcohol and without it, the drink lacks the soul. I have explicitly chosen not to offer de-alcoholic wines, but alternatives that are complex, have different aromas and change with time and temperature. They have the style you know from wine without being wine. Often not even grapes are included – literally no wine. I love the Gnista products.”
Shaping new drinking habits
Like in many parts of society, it’s often the foodies and the young that lead the way in the discovery of new categories. According to Jennifer Kiessling:
“It’s all about communication and creating new habits. The best alcohol free drinks in my opinion are not imitations or copies, but “proud liquids” with a unique flavor profile and character. Introducing a new category of course needs explaining and, above all, a lot of tastings! For both, our Berlin shop and showroom is central. The word spreads fast in the gastro scene and requests from all over Germany are coming through, with restaurants looking for a fresh and contemporary approach to their alcohol-free menus. We’re really proud to represent Gnista as one of few truly qualitative and unique brands. They are a perfect fit for our curated selection of crafted alternatives and are in good company with other producers of unique proxies we represent, such as Arensbak, Far & Søn and Feral.”
Where to enjoy Gnista in Berlin
You can now enjoy Gnista Red proxies at some of Berlin’s most forward-thinking restaurants and bars, including:
- Michelberger Restaurant
- Cookies Cream
- Bonvivant Cocktail Bistro
These venues are known for pushing boundaries and shaping new trends—an ideal match for Gnista’s approach to non-alcoholic drinks.
A new chapter for alcohol-free drinks in Germany
The rise of Gnista Red proxies across Germany shows a clear trend: people want more than de-alcoholised wine. They want complexity, craft, and memorable flavour.
Visit our FAQ for answers to common questions about alcohol-free wine alternatives, non-alcoholic spirits and more.