WINE TIME: Sometimes it's all about the low and the no

Sober October. Dry January. Put those movements alongside Canada’s recently revised Guidelines on Alcohol and Health which pegs “Low Risk” at one or two drinks a week, and you get the picture: There is a movement away from alcohol, especially with younger generations.

Though other countries may still suggest a drink a day for women or two for men is relatively safe, there is a growing call for low-alcohol and non-alcoholic wine.

That it is having an impact can be seen in the drop in consumption and production in major wine-growing regions such as Europe and Australia, where consumption of wine at lower price and quality levels continues to shrink.

In both Australia and France, efforts are being made to rip up vineyards to decrease production. Wine Intelligence on October 7 reported that France is spending up to 120 million euros to uproot as much as 30,000 hectares of vineyards in order to reduce over-production and stabilize the market. It is a wake-up call for the industry to “adapt to the new marketplace and the changing climate,” one source was quoted.

In a September 5, 2024 article referencing Circana, a leading consultancy firm specializing in consumer behaviour, Wine Intelligence noted that in the U.S. alcohol volumes dropped 2.8 per cent in just the first seven months of 2024.

At the same time, consumption of Ready-To-Drink alcoholic beverages actually grew by over two per cent in that period – apparently, it is spirits and wine that are losing ground the most, with lower-quality wine taking the brunt of it in the wine sector.

In light of this trend, many producers are trying to adapt by offering low and non-alcoholic alternatives in order to position themselves to attract younger, health-conscious drinkers.

France has recently opened its first de-alcoholisation centre. It uses vacuum distillation or cold distillation to reduce the alcohol level while preserving the essential taste, aroma and texture associated with quality wine.

Price will be a factor for many products in the de-alcoholized category, as the process necessarily adds more work and cost to the creation of these “wines”. I noted that one product available online was selling for $19 for a 250 ml. bottle.

One of the problems with removing alcohol is that often other elements get stripped, too. It doesn’t taste the same. Some wine alternatives introduce ingredients such as tea or fruit juices to mimic the character we associate with wine. It seems that creating a good low alcohol or non-alcoholic red wine is particularly challenging.

Dryvariety.com is a site specializing in non- and low-alcoholic beverages. They offer a 5-bottle bundle of various reds for $105.00. I leave it to you to decide if they have met the challenge.

“Non-alcoholic” is pretty clear; low-alcohol, however, may be another matter. Some suggest that 11% or less alcohol by volume is low. There are traditional wines listed that meet that threshold, such as Vinho Verde, a crisp white wine from Portugal, examples of which sell for $11 and up and can carry as little as 9% alcohol by volume. More expensive bottles, though, can have over 12 per cent alcohol, so you have to check.

Quite commonly the low alcohol wines often tend to be high in sugar. Lambrusco reds and white Moscatos are good examples. They can have as little as seven or eight per cent alcohol, but carry up to 120 grams of sugar per litre, depending on the wine. The LCBO is very good at making this information available, either on the shelf or online.

Lakeview Cellars in Niagara has created some intentionally low-alcohol wines with their “Mindful” series, of the Rosé. $13.95, with eight per cent alcohol and six grams of sugar per litre, Jennifer Havers on the Natalie Maclean website wrote, “a great lower alcohol, low sugar option for wine lovers. This is a pretty rose with aromas of fresh strawberry, a hint of light florals and a touch of tangerine. Light-bodied, with ripe, rounded berry notes and a touch of citrus on the palate. Perfect to accompany smoked salmon, shrimp, or bright summery salads.” – 88.

After four months on its lees, Mindful Pinot Grigio Vidal, $13.95, underwent reverse osmosis to extract some of the alcohol, leaving it at eight per cent with six grams of sugar per litre. It also earned an 88 from Ms. Havers.

In reds, Jackson Triggs offers a JT Light Cabernet Sauvignon, on sale for $11.95 currently. The alcohol is just eight per cent, but the sugar is 15 grams per litre. This isn’t terribly high, but it is a lot more than one traditionally finds with this grape.

Arterra, the company whose main brands are Jackson Triggs and Inniskillin, has recently introduced a series of wine beverages by the name, Sidney. Reading the list of ingredients is revealing – “wine, carbonated water, tartaric and citric acid, natural flavour, and potassium sorbate.”

They call it ‘wine reimagined’. I think it is a good example of how the wine industry is thinking outside the box to come up with wine-based beverages for those who are avoiding highly alcoholic drinks.

The ‘Cabernet Sauvignon’ a pale mauve, was hard to get my head around, as it least approximated what I might expect from a Cab. The flavour just wasn’t there. It might have been better if they hadn’t mentioned the grape type.

The Rosé and the Pinot Grigio, however, make the grade, not as wines, exactly but as Spritzers, which in fact perfectly describes Sidney. In both, the flavours are delicate but pleasant. At only 7 % alcohol, they are easy sipping, with the carbonation and citric nuance balancing off the delicacy of flavour.

Sidney is on sale for $14.95 until mid-November.

Fundamentally, one must be ‘relaxed’ in one’s expectations in this evolving category. There are categories of music I don’t care for, and others I enjoy immensely. We have to respect that people will enjoy what appeals to them and meets their interests and needs. We also respect the effort that the wine industry is making to adjust to the new realities so that they can serve and thrive in the evolving alcohol market.

Vintages

This weekend finds us between two releases, the one on our shelves from October 5, and the one coming this Saturday, October 19.

At time of writing, the following are still available from the October 5 release:

Adega Ponte da Barca Loureiro/Alvarinho 2023, $12.95. Here is one of those crisp and creamy whites that are relatively low in alcohol – about 11%. We are still getting enough pleasant weather to enjoy it now!

Emiliana Novas Gran Reserva Chardonnay 2022, $17.95 is an organic white from Chile, which starts creamy and finishes crisp, with lots of zest It carries a jamessuckling.com  92.

Trapiche Tesoro Malbec 2022, $15.95, is a new addition to Vintages, and is described by jamessuckling.com as a “juicy malbec full of red and blue berries, allspice, wet earth, cocoa powder and white pepper. The tight, medium-bodied palate has firm, chalky tannins that drive it to a linear and expressive finish.” - 92

Matilda Nieves Mencia 2020, $21.95, from Spain was the Platinum Wine Award winner in the Decanter World Wine Awards of 2021. Decanter emphasized the freshness and fullness of fruit, and explained that “the palate is soft-textured, mouth-filling, exuberant and comely, structured more prominently by acidity than tannin, though that acidity is sweet and juicy in its own right.”  Best in show – 97

McManis Petite Sirah 2022, $22.95, from Lodi in California is not Syrah, but rather “Durif”, and a main ingredient in the original ’19 Crimes’ red wine. The Wine Enthusiast calls it a “Best Buy” telling us that “Opulent dark berries, baking spices and orange marmalade show on the nose. Full-bodied, saturated boysenberry, olallieberry, dried potpourri and malted chocolate glide across the palate, finishing with silky tannins.” – 91.

Here are some new ones available this weekend.

Croix de Marsan Blanc 2023, $13.95, is a classic white Bordeaux, blending Sauvignon Blanc (70 per cent) and Semillon (30 per cent), the latter providing a silky creaminess to the crisp quality of the SB.

Luis Felipe Edwards Family Selection Gran Reserva Sauvignon Blanc 2023, $16.95, gives lovers of this grape a chance to try an excellent, moderately priced example from Chile. “On the nose, tropical and citrus notes emerge, including pineapple, passion fruit and fresh lemon, alongside mineral undertones. With an unmistakable style from the cold climate of the Pacific Ocean, this Sauvignon Blanc from the Leyda Valley has a wonderful freshness that makes you salivate.” Score – 93  - Latin American Wine Guide

Château Lucques Bessan 2016, $16.95, comes from the Bordeaux Cadillac satellite. It has mature blackberry fruit and is balanced with great acidity. It carries a Wine Enthusiast 91.

Trivento Private Reserve Malbec 2022, $18, is a very fine red from Argentina. In his Argentina special report, Tim Atkin tells us that “enticing aromas of violet and fennel are a prelude to a palate that combines bright, juicy bramble and blueberry fruit with a hint of chalky freshness and graceful tannins. 2023-28”. Score - 93. 

Diwine Bulas Cruz 2020,$18.95, from the Douro region of Portugal is a stunner. “It's a deep, saturated black-red in colour, and is packed with the irresistible tea-leaf, peony and black-fruit character of Douro's classic varieties… The palate… delivers fruited perfume and pleasure, juicy acidity and supple, tumbling tannins. Best In Show -97 Decanter World Wine Awards 2022.

Ceci Otello Lambrusco $21.95, is one of those sparkling reds with lower alcohol (11%) but more sugar, in this case not too bad at 27 g./l. The regular list Castelvetro is just 8 % alcohol, but carries 50 grams of sugar per litre. Vintages suggests that there’s “Intense ripe cherry, blackberry and blueberry, with licorice and vanilla accents and a fine minerality on the long, creamy finish.”

Enough said. Enjoy.