It was rare, in 1995, to meet an Australian who admitted to being sober. And a sober vegetarian? Forget about it. But that's exactly what we – Frank, Joe, Michael and our late sister Margaret, the founders of ClearMind – all happened to be, having become friends through a shared interest in meditation and alternative ways of living.

A work conference in California opened Frank's eyes to the possibility of living a sober life while still enjoying a wine with dinner. His Napa Valley Chardonnay was the first alcohol-free wine he'd tried that tasted like the real deal and he promptly purchased a case before flying back to Australia. Once he reassured us that he hadn't fallen off the wagon, we all agreed that the chardonnay was a revelation, but we couldn't convince anyone to import the wine. 'There's no market for it,' we were told, though we were begging to buy it, so we decided to do something about it.

Months later, a hundred cases of non-alcoholic chardonnay and cabernet sauvignon turned up on the back of a truck. Our first order had landed but we needed help getting through it, so we shared the wine with friends and held tastings wherever we could. And once we finished the final bottle, a decision had to be made as to whether we would continue. We loved the wine, and we knew there were others like us, so we thought – why not? ClearMind was born.

Fast forward 25 years and the world, it seems, has caught on to what we've always believed; that life is there to be enjoyed. ClearMind began because we wanted to drink wine with our cheese, or at dinner with friends, while still pursuing a healthy lifestyle, even if it meant ordering a hundred cases from California for personal use. It's just what had to be done, but fortunately that lifestyle has now gone mainstream and both the quality and range of alcohol-free beverages, we're pleased to say, is better than ever. 

Don't believe us? Well, we've been importing Europe and the Americas' best alcohol-free wines, beers and spirits for over 25 years now, and we know better than anyone that you won't believe it's possible until you taste it for yourself. Who knows – this may just be the first step on your journey to a clearer mind.