‘Emily in Paris’ Misses the Mark About the Sober Curious Movement in France
Suspension of disbelief is a basic requirement for viewing “Emily in Paris.”
The show follows a plucky, Midwestern marketing manager who is transferred to Paris to offer her American insight to various French luxury brands. Similar to Carrie Bradshaw in “Sex and the City” (another Darren Star production), Emily spins around town in designer outfits typically not in the budget of 20-somethings.
Like its predecessor, it’s a bit of harmless, escapist fantasy: American marshmallow fluff dressed up like French meringue.
Beyond the improbably expensive outfits, unrealistic career trajectories and level of self-confidence that few Midwestern transplants to Paris in their 20s would actually possess—speaking from personal experience—there are plenty of other incongruencies.
One recent scene, however, struck me as particularly outlandish: That a group of successful French marketing professionals with a wine brand in their portfolio wouldn’t be in touch with how the sober curious, or “flex drinking,” movement is actually playing out in France.
Introducing the Sober Curious Plot
Among the recently released, fourth-season episodes, Emily and her colleagues are discussing Champére, the Champagne brand she's been helping to market since season one.
After suggesting it be positioned as a beverage to spray rather than sip—it is, apparently, not very good—then packaging it as a canned Kir Royale to appeal to younger drinkers, she proposes a new idea. “What if we did a non-alcoholic version?” Emily asks. “There’s been a lot of growth in that sector thanks to the sober curious movement.”
“Sobriety may be popular in America, but it is the antithesis of French culture,” says Emily's boss, Sylvie.
“Dry January was banned from France by order of President Macron,” remarks her colleague, Luc. "Google it," he challenges.
Though the stereotypes of French culture make for a good chuckle, none of this is accurate.
While the French government has opted not to promote Dry January, officials have never gone so far as to try to prohibit it. And backing up to Sylvie’s comment about sobriety being the antithesis of French culture: this is also wholly untrue.
“The French have centuries worth of experience in crafting beverages of nuance, finesse and elegance, that elevate the moment,” says Martha Wright, a former winemaker and importer turned sobriety coach who splits her time between Paris and the United States. “It's actually entirely French to be masterful in creating a beautiful, artisanal beverage to pair with a meal,” she says—with or sans alcohol.
Evidence of her point abounds.
NA Offerings on the Rise in France
Long before the NA movement skyrocketed, back in 2019, three-star Michelin chef Mauro Colagreco began offering intricately designed NA pairings to go along with his biodynamic tasting menu at “World’s 50 Best” restaurant, Mirazur on the Côte d'Azur.
He took what had been a groundbreaking project a step further last year, launching Tempera, a line of six different alcohol-free blends of flowers, fruits and spices. These bottled wine alternatives are sold at wine stores, restaurants and other outlets all across the country.
Another great example is French Bloom. The France-based, non-alcoholic sparkling wine brand has been a major success since launching in 2020.
According to Maggie Frerejean-Taittinger, one of the brand’s founders, sales have tripled year over year in France since its inception. “When we first started developing French Bloom, we actually never thought that France would be a significant market for us,” she says, expecting that most of their sales would be in exports. “Today, it's the second largest, bordering the largest market for us, just behind the U.S.”
The majority of the company’s sales come from flex drinkers who are looking to approach alcohol consumption more mindfully, rather than abstain outright, she says: “About 80% of our customers were purchasing wine at the same time as French Bloom.”
The country’s non-alcoholic wine space isn’t limited to new brands, either. “You're seeing a lot of non-alcoholic wine produced in the south of France as well as in Bordeaux,” says Frerejain-Taittinger.
The robust wines that are made in these regions are prime candidates for producing dealcoholized versions that still exhibit body and varietal typicity.
Even major producers are getting in on the trend. Sixth generation-run Cave de Ribeauvillé in Alsace launched its de-alcoholised Ribo line in 2022. Château Edmus from the AOP Saint-Émilion Grand Cru is also releasing a Zero by Edmus bottling from the 2022 vintage.
Selling Sobriety
Non-alcoholic bottle shops and bars are also springing up in Paris, demonstrating that there is a growing interest in the availability of non-alcoholic options. Le Paon Qui Boit, (“The Drinking Peacock”) France’s first dedicated NA shop, opened in 2022, followed by Déjà Bu and Xavier Alcool Sans Alcool in 2023.
It perhaps speaks to Sylvie’s generation, a woman of indeterminate (but fabulous) age, that the very idea of a sober curious movement in France would cause her eyes to roll. It also remains part of the show’s schtick that Sylvie’s default response to anything Emily suggests is immediate dismissal. But, as someone whose namesake company is built on helping brands succeed, she should be reading the tea leaves.
“You have to have been living under a rock to not understand that it isn't a trend; that there's a consumption shift,” says Frerejean-Taittinger—even in France. “It's perhaps being led by the younger generations, but it's definitely being felt in all generations.”
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