Word on the Vine, Low and No

The surge of interest in alcohol-free wine has presented some winners for clear heads

THE LABELS
Booze-free beers are now commonplace, but zero-alcohol wines are harder to find – or good versions that mimic the real thing, at least. This is partly due to the comparative ease of removing alcohol from beer – at around 5% ABV (alcohol by volume), there is less alcohol to take away from a beer than there is from a wine, which is likely to be between 11% and 14% ABV.

However, a change in British law means a drink with an ABV lower than 8.5% is now permitted to be labelled as wine rather than a ‘wine-based drink’. With the market for low- and no- alcohol beverages in the UK worth almost £400 million, there is a huge opportunity for winemakers who want their alcohol- free alternatives to be labelled as wine.

THE PROCESS
Non-alcoholic wines start out as regular wines before the alcohol is removed. This typically involves one of two processes – reverse osmosis or vacuum distillation – which, unfortunately, often removes aroma, flavour and body too. Sugar and additives can compensate for the loss of alcohol, but this can make them more like sweet soft drinks. As winemakers become increasingly sophisticated in their techniques, the finished product is starting to resemble wine more closely.

THE TASTE

Zero-alcohol sparkling wines tend to be the most successful, as the bubbles add a mouth-filling texture to compensate for the lack of alcohol. The bright flavours and lively acidity of rosé, and the aromatic fruit of whites such as sauvignon blanc and muscat also make convincing alcohol-free still wines. Still red wines are the hardest nut to crack, often tasting insipidly thin when the alcohol and tannins have been taken away.

THE OPTIONS
If you’re looking simply to reduce alcohol consumption rather than go teetotal, it’s worth remembering some wines are naturally low in alcohol.

Off-dry German riesling, for instance, is around 7.5% ABV, while lightly sparkling Asti and moscato d’Asti from northern Italy usually contain around 5%. But that won’t really cut it for dry January, sober October, a booze-free Lentor if you’re the designated driver. With that in mind – clear- headed, of course – we’ve selected four of the best alcohol-free wines out there: one white, one red, a rosé and a blow-out fizz.