In Part 1 of our blog on NA wine, the story of Dry January, production methods of dealcoholized wines, and their quality were in the spotlight. This time, we look at the category growth, companies taking notice, and the “health benefits” of NA wine.

In the name of health consciousness, whether a glass of NA Pinot Noir or a mocktail, Dry January has spawned an interest in the availability of drinks that contain little to no alcohol. Such beverages offer a choice beyond abstention awareness campaigns.

However, producers interested in capitalizing on the trend, acknowledge that NA wine doesn’t have the same classic profile as regular styles. In its technical notes on its NA Cabernet Sauvignon, the esteemed German Weingut Leitz producer is impressively and unusually transparent. “Of course, a de-alcoholized red wine never will have the same depth, structure, and weight as a red wine with alcohol, but this is extremely close to it,” it says.

According to the International Wine and Spirits Record (IWSR), it’s not, as is often thought, Gen Z that’s driving the movement (although they are significant contributors) but millennials. The IWSR says that this group, aged 28 to 43, is leading the way in non-alcoholic wine consumption with 59% in this category.

Reasons include this generation’s tendency to socialize, open-mindedness, and preference for alcohol consumption moderation.

The growth of the NA sector is also attributed to a move toward inclusiveness. Someone who may want to enjoy a glass of Riesling but can’t for religious, cultural, or health reasons can now ‘join the party’ with NA wine.

Fun fact

• “Sober curious” and “mindful drinking” are popular terms associated with consumers of NA and low-alcohol wines.

As the NA wine category grows, big brand names are staking their claims. The Spanish house Miguel Torres has a NA range of wines called Torres Natureo while fellow Spanish producer Freixenet makes NA bubbly.

Mirroring the growth of “mindful drinking”, celebrities with wine ranges are including NA wines in their selections. Sex and City star and businesswoman, Sarah Jessica Parker launched her wine line “X” with New Zealand’s “Invivo” in 2019. Three years later, the team produced a range of wines that, although not NA, don’t exceed more than 7% ABV – no mean feat considering one is a red blend.

Pop star Kylie Minogue, similarly, added NA sparkling rosés to her eponymous wine brand portfolio and stars like singer Katy Perry and Formula 1 driver Lewis Hamilton have launched NA products in the spirits category.

Celebrity endorsement is a thing. Ben Branson, founder of Seedlip, a major UK innovator in the NA sector says, “with high profile people like Lewis Hamilton and Katy Perry now involved I think we are at the beginning of a tipping point towards more celebrities backing the category with investment.”

An unexpected bubbly (considering its traditional Champagne house connections) is much-lauded French Bloom, a sparkling rosé with links to the Taittinger family – although through marriage and not wine production!

Created by Maggie Frerejean-Taittinger who married a descendant of the famed Champagne founder and model Constance Jablonski, rival house Moët Hennessy, has purchased a minority stake in the company. The producer described the move as "demonstrating our commitment to offering high-quality alcohol-free choices”.

However, at the other end of the spectrum, Pierre-Emmanuel Taittinger, honorary chairman of Champagne Taittinger has pledged to never make an alcohol-free bubbly. Speaking to UK media, he said: “When we go to alcohol, it’s because we don’t want to drink without alcohol. If you don’t want to pray, don’t go to church”.

Fun fact

• A leading name NA wine in the USA is California-based “Ariel” which uses the reverse osmosis process.

NA red, white, and sparkling producers often have impressive tasting notes that mirror those of regular wines. Pithy descriptions summing up the aromas and flavors accompany serving temperature suggestions and recommendations for food pairing.

That said, one point that features in standard wine descriptions is glaringly obvious in its absence in NA tasting notes: cellar-worthiness.

It’s difficult to find any reference to a NA wine’s longevity, even where producers provide great detail about every other aspect of a wine. The only nod we found to aging potential (or lack of) was “ready to drink”.

Common sense says that NA wines simply don’t possess cellar-worthiness. Alcohol and tannins, both removed or reduced during dealcoholization processes, are vital for a wine’s capacity to grow more complex and layered over years or even decades.

Similarities in health benefits between the styles include beneficial compounds like polyphenols and resveratrol which promote heart health.

The calorie count is a different matter. NA wine has fewer calories than a glass of traditional wine. For example, the British Heart Foundation says that a glass of NA sparkling contains around 35 calories compared to 75 in the same quantity of regular Prosecco. Likewise, a standard serving of red wine contains 90 calories while a NA style has only 30.

Notably, dealcoholized wine may have a lower ABV, but it has a higher sugar content than traditional styles because of production processes.

Fun fact

• Dieticians say NA wines have slightly more carbs than traditional wine due to the presence of more fructose.

When it comes to NA wines, it’s a matter of “watch this space”. The present consensus is that they cannot match regular wines in flavor, complexity, and age-worthiness.

While the IWSR and other business data organizations predict a rise in the popularity of NA wine, they’re quick to stress that it won’t eclipse the age-old appreciation of classic traditional styles. Supporting this assertion is the fact that producers and celebrities making NA reds, whites, rosés, and sparklings tend to offer these products alongside a more substantial line of regular wines.

This bears out the IWSR’s claim that NA wine will, instead, simply offer a choice for the “sober curious”.

Want to read more? Take a look at some of our other blogs:

• • Can non-alcoholic wine ever match the real thing?
  • 5 healthy food and wine pairings to start the year
  • An introduction to terroir