Of course you can make good stews and casseroles with out alcohol. You can make good stews or casseroles without a whole range of herbs, spices and other aromatics, but they all add distinct and different flavours to a dish.
You cannot make a really good goulasch unless you add paprika and allspice, you cannot make a true Boeuf Bougignon without adding a good dollop of a good rich red wine.
There is no special expertise in being able to make a stew without wine, nor is it especially virtuous.
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