In this WIN Insider Series episode, George interviews Matt Hughes, General Manager of Solos, a pioneering company specializing in aroma recovery and dealcoholization technology for non-alcoholic and low-alcohol beverages. Matt shares his journey from fine dining and winemaking to leading innovation in the no-alc/low-ABV wine sector, explaining how Solos’ revolutionary vacuum distillation and aroma capture technology preserves wine’s terroir and varietal character—solving the traditional problem of dealcoholized wines losing their personality.
Matt discusses Solos’ new facilities in Valencia, Spain, and Hopland, California (processing up to 4 million gallons annually), comparing Europe’s mature no-alc market with the U.S.’s significant growth potential. He covers the science behind their process, which varietals work best (lighter aromatic reds over big Cabernets), and how wineries can get started with benchtop pilot trials before scaling to production. The conversation offers an optimistic outlook on the no-low category as a new premium channel for wine growers and a way to expand wine’s accessibility.
Want to learn more about the work Matt and the Solos team do? Check out: https://solos-technology.com/
