Austrian dealcoholized wine brand tops the 2026 rankings as its US lineup expands with two new stateside releases.
July 29, 2026 — After only two years on the U.S. market, Zeronimo, the premium Austrian non-alcoholic wine brand from the Heribert Bayer Winery, has been named the winner of Best Non-Alcoholic Wine in USA TODAY 10Best’s 2026 Readers’ Choice Awards. The win puts Zeronimo at the top of a ten-brand field that included French Bloom, Society de la Rassi, Giesen and NON, following a public vote that ran from June 22 through July 20.
USA TODAY 10Best editors and a panel of drinks industry experts selected the category’s nominees before opening the vote to readers. Zeronimo topped the resulting list.
A growing U.S. presence
The recognition arrives as Zeronimo builds out its U.S. presence. Century Blend Nr. 2, a dealcoholized red built from a 22-year-aged base, and Zeronimo Rosé both became available in the U.S. during July 2026, expanding the brand’s American lineup beyond its flagship Leonis Blend and three further premium non-alcoholic wines: Grüner Veltliner, Zweigelt and Sparkling Select.
“This comes directly from those who enjoyed our wine”
“We can’t even put all of this into words yet. We are all so grateful for everyone that voted for us. This recognition means so much to us because it comes directly from those who have enjoyed Zeronimo wine and decided it belonged at the top,” said Katja Bernegger and Patrick Bayer, founders of Zeronimo. “We built this brand on the belief that non-alcoholic wine deserves a premium category with the same craft, dedication and complexity as any bottle in the cellar. Seeing that idea validated by American food and wine lovers is our vision come to life. High-end wines are here to be enjoyed by everyone.”
A name with American roots
As the brand’s name has American roots, Katja’s and Patrick’s dream always was to launch Zeronimo in the U.S. They have both felt a very strong connection with Zeronimo supporters in America from the start. Katja explains, “The roots for the name Zeronimo go back to Geronimo — a Native American who was the greatest medicine man of all time.”
Craft, complexity and Austrian heritage
Every wine in the Zeronimo range starts with Austrian quality wine drawn from vines between 50 and 90 years old, with no added aromas. The brand’s flagship Leonis Blend is dealcoholized from a foundation wine that carries a 98-point rating. Century Blend Nr. 2 extends that approach, dealcoholizing a red base aged for 22 years before bottling in a limited run of 2,600 individually numbered bottles.
Zeronimo also focuses on Austrian grape varieties like Grüner Veltliner, Blaufränkisch and Zweigelt rather than working with internationally well-known varieties. “Sharing Austrian wine tradition and letting people experience how beautiful and special our grape varieties and wines are is something we love doing,” explains Zeronimo winemaker Patrick Bayer.
A category of its own
Zeronimo treats non-alcoholic wine as its own category rather than a substitute for traditional wine. That
positioning has carried Zeronimo into more than 25 countries, including all of Europe, Canada and the UK — with a new market entrance soon to follow.
