The Allure Of No & Low Alcohol Wines

The production of wine is over thousands of years old and is an integral part of life for many socially and culturally, enriched in history and tradition. As wine lovers, we are not about to tell you to stop drinking wine, however, we recognise that there may be a time when you want to cut back or perhaps cater for guests who do not drink and would like the taste of something similar. The choice to have lower or non-alcoholic beverages has begun to play a key part in the drinks market with a 1/3 of the UK consumers choosing low or no-alcohol options. So far, no & low alcohol have generally been tainted with a bad reputation of poor quality and lacking flavour, however, here at Wanderlust Wine, we wanted to see if that is still the case.

The shift in the market has influenced businesses to adapt by producing no & low alcohol substitutes. Trends of a health-conscious society have inspired a rise in demand for lower alcohol and even non-alcoholic substitutes. There is a focus on our well-being at the forefront of our minds, and the lifestyle campaigns by many are to drive healthy moderation of consumption. The development of 0% ABV began with spirit alternatives and beers however, we are seeing the trend move into the wine industry.

The quality of no & low alcohol wines or substitutes has been seen to lack flavour intensity or body, much of which comes from the alcohol. Producers compensate by adding sugar, grape juice, or botanicals to try to mirror the flavour of the alcoholic counterpart. To replicate the body, many non-alcoholic wines add bubbles to give vibrancy and perk up the wine’s texture. As of yet, there has not been a wine that has successfully mimicked an alcoholic bottle of wine, however, why would it? Rather than seeing this as a replacement, we need to look at it as its own separate entity.

Whilst the no-alcohol approach is one way, we also see consumers wanting lower alcohol, A battle for winemakers who are already under immense pressure to create perfectly balanced wines.

The challenge in all of these methods is to maintain flavour and texture. While these techniques have regularly been used to make minor alcohol adjustments, in the case of no & low alcohol wines, a much larger percentage of the original liquid is removed. This is especially true for fuller-bodied reds where alcohol can make up to 15 % of a wine’s volume, contributing texture and richness. Another factor affecting alcohol content is global warming which affects ripening, trying to harvest the grapes before they develop high sugar levels, as the sugar will be fermented and processed into alcohol, resulting in potentially a very sweet and imbalanced wine.

We want to champion a healthier lifestyle and whilst we also recognise that a glass of wine has been proven to have certain health benefits, there are times that we need to reduce our alcohol intake. The compromise may be to reduce the quantity and increase the quality. Here at Wanderlust Wine, our ethos is to have the very best quality wines that have been traded fairly at a reasonable price, with our range varying from affordable bottles to premium range. Instead of polishing off a few bottles of your favourite bargain bottle, combine the cost and treat yourself to a special bottle that you can savour.