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Non-alcoholic wine trends

by Jay Kitterman, culinary and special events consultant, Lincoln Land Community College

Would you be willing to spend more than $100 on a bottle of non-alcoholic sparkling wine? I recently read an article in the Wall Street Journal announcing that Louis Vuitton Moët Hennessey (LVMH), the owner of such prestigious brands as Dom Perignon and Moët Hennessey, was introducing a non-alcoholic champagne called French Bloom, that would sell for $100. This is when I knew the low and non-alcoholic liquor business was no longer just a fad, but truly a trend. French Bloom sources its grapes from the Languedoc region of southern France, where the sunny climate results in grapes with naturally high alcohol. To remove the alcohol, French Bloom uses a technique called “cold-vacuum distillation.”

Generational trend

From my research, low and non-alcohol wine is truly a generational and lifestyle trend. The low and non-alcohol wine category is currently being driven by Gen X (demographic cohort 1965-1980) and Millennial (1981-1996) consumers. A major player in this market is Bota Box. When Bota launched their Breeze products in 2021, research showed that more than 40% of consumers were looking for lower-alcohol wines. These Gen X and Millennial consumers are upper income, educated and want their wine to fit into their healthy lifestyle. Bota Box light wines is now the number one brand of low alcohol wine category by volume in the U.S. The box is produced from recyclable materials, stays fresh 30 days after opening and each box is equivalent to four bottles making it very budget friendly. Many of the Bota Box varieties are also available in the tetra packs, making them very convenient for traveling. I recommend their Chardonnay.

Bota Box research shows this trend tracks closely with long-term consumer trends around food. Consumers want options that align with health-conscious lifestyle choices, in beverages and food, and wine is no exception. The company states, “The point of light wine is not to compete with traditional wine; it’s to offer an alternative to traditional wine that fits into the lifestyle choices that are important to consumers today.”

Local recommendations

John Russo, who works part-time at the Corkscrew Wine Emporium in Springfield, has researched this topic extensively and reports, “calorie reduction is a major benefit of non-alcoholic or low alcohol wines.”

A 5oz. glass of wine, which is one serving, contains 120-130 calories, depending on grape variety and residual sugar. Low alcohol wine has 70-90 calories/serving and non-alcoholic wine has 20-30 calories/serving.

I asked David Anderson at The Corkscrew and Zach Sweet at It’s All About Wine for their recommendations.

It’s All About Wine is currently carrying two wines from Oddbird. Oddbird is a Scandinavian company that started in 2013. Today, they reign as Scandinavia’s premier producer of wines, beers and spirits. The wines are matured for up to 12 months and then “gently liberated from alcohol.” In 2016, King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden awarded Oddbird an entrepreneurship award. It’s All About Wine currently carries Oddbird Red Blend and Oddbird Blanc de Blancs Sparkling. Their commitment to purity means that their wines contain no artificial colors and no synthetic aromas.

Blanc de Blancs is from Languedoc-Roussillon and made from Chardonnay and Colombard, giving tones of crispy Granny Smith apples, honey and lime. It is described as, “a youthful and elegant Chardonnay blend with high complexity and delicate bubbles.” Blanc de Blancs is matured for 12 months before “being gently liberated from alcohol.” The Red Blend, which is a combination of Grenache, Syrah and Mourvedre from Saint-Chinian, south of France, is characterized by its acidity and earthy notes with fruity touches. Both are priced at $32.00 a bottle.

Anderson also introduced me to Ariel Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon. Owned and operated by J. Lohr Vineyards & Wines, Ariel is on California’s Central Coast. Their Ariel Cabernet Sauvignon and Ariel Chardonnay are batched and fermented like any other wine. Using a   reverse osmosis method, which uses a pump to push their fresh wine through special membranes, the alcohol and water are separated from the wine. Their California Cabernet Sauvignon is described as black currant, velvety chocolate and dark cherries. Notes for their California Chardonnay describe, “On the nose, there is a hint of sweetness, with hints of fresh-cut pear, apple, butterscotch and French oak.” These two wines have 45-calories per 8oz serving and both are priced at $11.99.

In addition, The Corkscrew also has these low or non-alcoholic wines in stock:

  • Giesen Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc and Rose from New Zealand, $16.99

  • Selbach Funkel Wurtz Zero Sparkling from Germany, $19.99

  • Fre Sparkling Brut from California, $14.99

  • Codorniu Zero Sparkling from Spain, $14.99

Low and nonalcoholic wines are growing rapidly and no longer just located in the back corner of your wine store. Powerhouse brands such as Yellow Tail, Kendall-Jackson, and Kim Crawford have all launched lower-alcohol lines.    

My thanks to David Anderson from The Corkscrew, Zach Sweet from It’s All About Wine and Calvin Jacey from Bota Box for their assistance with this article.

“In wine there is wisdom, in beer there is freedom, and in water there is bacteria.”   Benjamin Franklin


About

Lincoln Land Community College offers credit programs in Culinary Arts, Hospitality Management and Baking/Pastry, and non-credit cooking and food classes through LLCC Community Education.

Cooking or food questions? Email epicuriosity101@llcc.edu.

 

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