Non-Alcoholic Wine Celebrities – Episode with Rachel Martin (Oceano Zero & AFNA Wine Certified)

In this episode I sit down with Rachel Martin, founder & CEO of Oceano Wines and creator of Oceano Zero, one of the first truly luxury non-alcoholic wine collections.

Rachel has more than 20 years in fine wine, from planting vineyards in Virginia to studying at the University of Bordeaux School of Oenology. Today she is also the co-founder and program author of AFNA Wine Certified™ at AFicioNAdo™, the world’s first professional certification dedicated to alcohol-free and non-alcoholic adult beverages.

We talk about how innovation, education and premiumization are reshaping non-alcoholic wine – and why low and no-alcohol wines might end up saving some grape growers.

In this episode we cover:

- Rachel’s journey from family estate winery to launching Oceano Zero
- Why she saw a gap for luxury non-alcoholic wine after doing market research at Boisson
- Pricing a $55 dealcoholised Pinot Noir and finding the right customer
- The idea behind 3.5% ABV ultra-low Syrah and the regulatory grey zone between 0.5% and 7%
- How she navigates TTB + FDA rules, ingredients and nutrition labelling
- The story behind AFNA Wine Certified™ and what the curriculum actually covers
- Why trade education is key if restaurants want to serve NA wine drinkers properly
- “Zebra striping”: alternating alcoholic and NA drinks in the same occasion
- Her predictions for 2026: restaurant lists, hybrid wineries and what it all means for grape growers

About Rachel Martin
Rachel Martin is a wine producer, founder of Oceano Wines and Oceano Zero, and co-founder and author of AFNA Wine Certified™ at AFicioNAdo™. She has a background in viticulture, oenology and sensory science and previously authored the petition that established the Middleburg Virginia AVA.

Links mentioned
▸ Oceano Wines / Oceano Zero: https://oceanowines.com/oceano-zero/
▸ Oceano Zero waitlist: https://oceanowines.com/oceano-zero/waiting-list/
▸ AFNA Wine Certified™ (AFicioNAdo): https://www.alcoholfreeaficionados.com
▸ Non-Alcoholic Wine Celebrities podcast: https://podcast.vin00s.com

Connect with Vin00s
▸ Website: https://vin00s.com

▸ Newsletter (The Non-Alcoholic Wine Selection): https://vin00s.short.gy/newsletter
▸ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/vin00s/
▸ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/myvin00s/

#nonalcoholicwine #nowine #oceanozero #rachelmartin #afnawinecertified #vin00s