Q&A Matthew Jukes, Founder
 I was hosting a series of wine events in New York City eight years ago when one of the guests (Sally Singer, ex-editor of Vogue.com) told me it was very rare for her to drink wine mid-week. In fact, it was rare for any NYC professionals to drink wine at lunch OR dinner… I knew that every trend that kicks off in the US comes to the UK before too long. At the same time, I was conscious that there were no delicious alcohol-free substitutes for wine, and as a wine expert, I naturally detest de-alcoholised products. I also ride a motorbike, so I am very conscious of staying alcohol-free when necessary. These mounting pressures meant I did some light research on old-fashioned, English alcohol-free drinks from bygone eras. The second I learned about the ‘Haymakers Punch’, I knew I had stumbled on an absolute gem that I could, with my vast tasting repertoire, evolve into something special. Little did I know it would turn into a fascinating business! What inspired you to create Jukes Cordialities? I was hosting a series of wine events in New York City eight years ago when one of the guests (Sally Singer, ex-editor of Vogue.com) told me it was very rare for her to drink wine mid-week. In fact, it was rare for any NYC professionals to drink wine at lunch OR dinner… I knew that every trend that kicks off in the US comes to the UK before too long. At the same time, I was conscious that there were no delicious alcohol-free substitutes for wine, and as a wine expert, I naturally detest de-alcoholised products. I also ride a motorbike, so I am very conscious of staying alcohol-free when necessary. These mounting pressures meant I did some light research on old-fashioned, English alcohol-free drinks from bygone eras. The second I learned about the ‘Haymakers Punch’, I knew I had stumbled on an absolute gem that I could, with my vast tasting repertoire, evolve into something special. Little did I know it would turn into a fascinating business! What are you most proud about with Jukes Cordialities? My fantastic staff team - all highly-talented, immensely hard-working, multi-national women who personify teamwork. I have never managed people before, being a lone author and journalist, and they make this challenge a joy. Collectively, we are so proud to win Producer of the Year 2025 at this year’s World Alcohol-Free Awards. This is a huge accolade to add to our ten Medals and two Trophies. It is so exciting that an English start-up, with only five years under its belt, can triumph against every other alcohol-free drink brand! What were some of the challenges you faced when creating and launching Jukes Cordialities? COVID was the biggest challenge, because I set everything up to supply restaurants and hotels, and we started trading only a couple of months before the pandemic hit! We survived almost entirely because of Jukes 8, our rosé, which I launched in March 2020. It attracted so much attention that it effectively filled the turnover gap left by all the struggling hospitality industry members who were forced to close. It also gave us a golden opportunity to speedily develop our website and direct-to-consumer offering. What are the future plans for Jukes Cordialities? We are launching Ready-To-Pour versions of our classic Jukes 1 (The White), Jukes 8 (The Rosé) and Jukes 6 (The Red) in 750ml glass bottle format. We already package these three drinks in 250ml canned format, but our fans and trade customers are desperate for bottles, so this is extremely exciting. Also, we have a new product launch coming in October, which will also be in 750ml bottle format. This drink is an ‘everyday’ version of Jukes (as opposed to our elite, gastronomically friendly, classic collection of drinks), and we are extremely excited because early samplings with expert palates and buyers have exceeded our wildest dreams. Which drinks/cocktails sum up luxury for you? Jukes 6, the classic, dark red, was the very first ‘cordiality’ I created, and it is our best-seller and the flavour I am most proud of. It won Best Organic Alcohol-Free drink in the World at the World Alcohol-Free Awards this year, and I was particularly proud of this. It is so difficult to make a serious red wine substitute deliver everything you adore about great red wine, but in an alcohol-free format. This is why I started with this style. I felt if I could do this one, the others would be a doddle! While this is not true, it gave me incredible confidence when chefs like Clare Smyth, Yannick Alleno, Alain Passard, Daniel Boulud and others, as well as top sommeliers, like Xavier Thuizat, Ronan Sayburn, Mikael Grou and others fell for Jukes 6! So, my favourite Jukes is not a cocktail or anything difficult to prepare, but simply Jukes 6, with chilled still water (Sembrancher is my favourite)! What is your favourite cocktail/mocktail, and why? While all my Jukes drinks were designed for gastronomy, and so their natural habitat is in a restaurant or around your dinner table, they all work extremely well in cocktail format. This is not my world at all, so I rely on elite mixologists for guidance and Geneva-based Giovanni Cavalu is a magician with Jukes! His skills with Jukes 1, the classic white, are mind-bending. It is impossible to tell that they do not have any alcohol in his creations, and he manages to highlight any one of the 20+ ingredients in my drinks with his incredible mixing skills, boundless taste landscape and inventive techniques. How can a hotel bar create a unique and memorable experience? I always like the hotel bars that keep it simple and use the finest possible brands. Of course, service is the number one criterion for an amazing experience, so staff training, while often ignored or underrated, is the most important element in any amazing bar! What do you think is missing from most alcohol-free menus today, and how can venues improve? Dry drinks! Most are sweet, and most people dislike sweet drinks and rarely come back for a second! Bitterness and acidity are critical to balance the exuberance in any drink. Wine is a perfect case in point. So why do so many alcohol-free drinks lack tension, freshness and adult flavours? I find it baffling.  Which country (in your opinion) produces the best wine? (I think this question refers to ‘real’ wine!) France still leads the pack with its diversity of excellent wine styles, but I drink a lot of Italian wine, and the Australia Day Foundation made me an honorary Australian in 2012 because of my work writing about singing the praises of Australian fine wine, so Australian wines form a huge part of my wine diet! My wife is half Portuguese, so we keep our eyes peeled for great Portuguese finds, and I write extensively about English wine, too. Finally, my largest annual report on wines featured the finest Barolos and Barbarescos from Piemonte in north-west Italy. This year’s tome is 200000 words long! I taste around 30000 wines a year from all over the globe, but I always find myself migrating back to the classics and thos mentioned above. What does 'luxury ' (in relation to travel) mean to you? Perfect service. Anticipation of a traveller’s needs. If travel staff, hotel staff, airline staff etc. can think ahead of what a traveller might want or need, it makes life seamless and effortless. You do not have to spend a fortune to experience the feeling of luxury if you are being looked after with perfect service and genuine care. What is at the top of your 'where to next' wish list? I need to do Madrid properly. I have been once before and loved it, but I think I need a week to find my bearings and investigate it properly! I have not been to the US for years, so a good look around Charleston, New Orleans, Austin, Chicago and many other cities would be tremendous. I would love to take my little boys skiing - so perhaps Whistler might have to prepare for the Jukes family before too long! What three things do you never travel without? My iPad for all entertainment needs, a mini-washbag, and a change of clothes. My checked luggage has gone walkabout far too many times, and there is nothing more soul-destroying than spending a night or two without any of your gear! Predictable, I know, but my washbag always contains a handful of 30ml bottles of Jukes - ‘liquids’. Who would you most like to sit next to on a long-haul flight? Why? I sat next to Robbie Williams once, and that was a blast. Anyone at the top of the music industry would be a huge treat. If I were forced to give up my life in taste, I would love to work in music. What is the most important thing (travel-wise) that money CAN buy? A Briggs & Riley large suitcase. Mine is the finest piece of travel kit I have ever owned! What is the most important thing it can't? The weather! Luxury Links: www.jukescordialities.com Posted 23/10/2025 |
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Find what brings you joy and go there. Jan Phillips
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