Non-alcoholic wine is a beverage made from wine, but from which virtually all alcohol has been removed. The alcohol content of non-alcoholic wine is less than 0.5%. Below we explain what the OIV (Organisation Internationale de la Vigne et du Vin) understands by wine, de-alcoholized wine and partially de-alcoholized wine. The majority of wine-producing countries are members of the OIV.
– Wine: is a beverage made by fermenting fresh grapes, crushed or not, or by fermenting grape must. Alcohol is produced during this process. The alcohol content of wine is normally at least 8.5% vol.
– De-alcoholized wine: is also called non-alcoholic wine. This drink is made from wine from which almost all the alcohol has been removed. The alcohol content of de-alcoholized wine is less than 0.5%.
– Partially de-alcoholized wine: is also called low alcohol wine. This drink comes from wine in which the alcohol content is at least 0.5%, but is usually lower than the normal wine alcohol content of 8.5%. This means that low alcohol wine contains more alcohol than non-alcoholic wine, but less than regular wine.
Normally, non-alcoholic wines have an alcohol content of about 0.01%. If you want to be absolutely sure that there is no alcohol in it at all, you can look for the Halal label. If a wine contains 0.5% alcohol, it is always mentioned on the product page and it is also on the label. That way you know exactly how much alcohol is in the wine.
There are several methods of making non-alcoholic wine. The main methods currently used are vacuum distillation, spinning cone column, reverse osmosis and vacuum distillation. These methods are used to extract the alcohol from the wine to create an alcohol-free variety. Below we explain the different methods.
– Spinning Cone technique: this is a technique for removing alcohol from wine that uses spinning cone-shaped columns to separate the alcohol and volatile flavors. These columns are used in a process called vacuum distillation at low temperatures. This ensures that the alcohol is gently extracted from the wine while preserving its flavor. For example, ConeTech’s spinning cone consists of a vertical stainless steel column with a central rotating shaft. Conical trays are attached to the central shaft and alternate with fixed trays on the inside of the column. These trays help remove volatile aromas from the wine through vacuum technology. During the process, the aromas are first removed and stored separately. Then the alcohol is removed during a second passage through the column. Each passage takes about twenty seconds. The wine flows across the bowls from top to bottom, with the centrifugal force causing a thin layer of wine to be pushed up and onto the next bowl. This process is repeated until the wine reaches the bottom of the column.
– Reverse osmosis: this is a technique used to reduce the alcohol content in wine that uses a very fine filter. Water and alcohol molecules are the smallest molecules in wine, allowing them to flow easily through the filter. On the other hand, most other components such as color, tannins and aromas cannot pass through the filter. The mixture of water and alcohol that passes through the filter is colorless and tasteless. This mixture is then distilled to separate the alcohol from the water. The water is then combined again with the color, tannins and aromas. Often only a portion of the original wine is subjected to reverse osmosis. This portion with reduced alcohol content is then blended with the rest of the original wine. The result is a wine with a lower alcohol content.
– Vacuum distillation: this is a method in which the pressure above the wine is reduced, allowing the liquid to be distilled at a lower temperature. In this technique, for example, the alcohol is removed at a temperature of about 30 degrees so that the taste of the wine is affected as little as possible. Because the boiling point of alcohol is lower than that of the other components of wine, alcohol evaporates first. Modern vacuum distillation systems also use aroma recovery. In this process, volatile aromas are captured and later returned
added to the distilled wine so that the aromas of the original wine are preserved as much as possible. Vacuum distillation is also called vacuum evaporation or vacuum column distillation.
Most non-alcoholic wines will keep for two to three years when sealed. Real grape juice, however, has a shorter shelf life. According to the nutrition center, you can keep grape juice for up to one year past its THT date, and possibly even longer if it looks good and the packaging is intact. It is best to store bottles of juice in a dark place.
Once a bottle of non-alcoholic sparkling wine is opened, it is best to drink it within one day. Because this wine contains no alcohol, the bubbles are not created by fermentation, but are injected into it. Other types of non-alcoholic wines keep just as long as regular wines.
Non-alcoholic wines contain an average of 66% fewer calories because of the de-alcoholization process.
Alcohol-free wine generally has a sweetish taste. This is because the flavor balance changes once the alcohol is removed. Think fruity and semi-dry, sometimes even semi-sweet or really sweet. Completely dry is not, except for champagne or sparkling wines. It is important to adjust your expectations slightly, because alcohol-free wine does not taste exactly the same as normal wine. Although it is getting closer and closer, something of the typical wine taste is often lost with the process of removing alcohol. The texture and structure of alcohol-free wine are similar, though.
You can perfectly pair non-alcoholic wine with food. Just keep in mind that there is no alcohol in non-alcoholic wine and therefore the intensity of the wine is a little less. But that does not pose any problem when pairing with food. Therefore, suggestions for pairing with food are also indicated with each wine.
According to the Alcohol and Catering Act, it is permitted to serve non-alcoholic wine to young people under the age of 18, provided the non-alcoholic wine contains no more than 0.5% alcohol.
There are several reasons why non-alcoholic wine is so on the rise. First, we are increasingly concerned with our health. While a glass of wine on occasion is not necessarily unhealthy, we are making more conscious choices. In addition, the quality of non-alcoholic wine has improved significantly. There is more choice and many non-alcoholic wines are almost indistinguishable from wines with alcohol. The taste and experience are getting closer and closer to traditional wines.
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