Agreed, not seeing many good use cases. It could be prescribed to alcoholics who can’t/won’t stop drinking to help them taper off alcohol, but people would just end up drinking more to counter it.
The best use I can think of is for undercover agents to drink heavily and avoid intoxication!
As long as it doesn't leave your palet with a taste of the gel, the point is to enjoy the taste of these drinks without the effects of alcohol. Not everybody drink alcohol for the alteration effects and the non-alcohol versions of most beverages is so shitty you don't really want them.
My mother for example hate the feeling of being intoxicated, even a little. So she only drink one glass on occasions and barely finishes it. She would definitely enjoy it more if she could have different wines over the course of a meal. It would also be useful if you want to enjoy the taste of some drinks with alcohol but you need to drive or you are in an on-call schedule.
Useful too for sales people at business dinners, execs doing corporate entertainment, journalists, even politicians - anyone who's employment requires them to engage in quasi-social activities with 3rd parties where it's awkward to refuse a drink or six.
The best use I can think of is for undercover agents to drink heavily and avoid intoxication!