How are alcohol-free wine, beer and spirits made?

What is alcohol-free wine?

First of all, let's clarify something: what exactly do we mean by alcohol-free wine? Well, at the risk of surprising you, a drink cannot officially be called ‘alcohol-free wine’ without adding the words ‘de-alcoholised wine’. Why? Because, legally speaking, wine is... alcoholic! Talking about ‘alcohol-free wine’ is therefore a bit like talking about a sun without light. However, this designation is currently under discussion at European level and could be authorised in the near future.

In practical terms, a wine is considered alcohol-free when it contains 0.05% abv or less. De-alcoholised wine contains no more than 0.5% abv and low alcohol wine must be 1.2% abv or below.

The question ‘Is alcohol-free wine really alcohol-free?’ can therefore be answered by saying that it still contains a small amount of alcohol, even if it is negligible. It should be noted that fruit juices have a similar alcohol content to non-alcoholic and de-alcoholised wines (between 0.04% and 0.5%).

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How is alcohol-free wine made?

The various techniques of de-alcoholisation

Alcohol-free wine is made in exactly the same way as wine containing alcohol, except that it undergoes a process known as dealcoholisation. This process is carried out using several techniques, which we will outline here in simplified terms:

The reverse osmosis technique: the wine is passed under high pressure through an ultra-fine filter that separates the drink into two streams. On one side are the large, heavy molecules (aromas, tannins, sugars, pigments), and on the other side are the small, light molecules in the wine (alcohol + water).
The technique of distillation or vacuum evaporation: the wine is heated at a low temperature under vacuum to preserve the aromas and authenticity of the wine. The alcohol, which evaporates, is then recovered.

To minimise alcohol content, producers can also choose grapes that contain less sugar. As alcohol is the result of sugar fermentation, a grape variety with lower sugar content will therefore produce a wine with less alcohol.

Red, white or rosé wine: what does alcohol-free wine taste like?

Professionals have tested alcohol-free wine for you, and there seems to be a consensus:

Red, rosé, white, and sparkling wines all generate a higher sensation of sweetness.
On the finish, white wines appear more acidic and red wines more tannic.
The aromas are pronounced, but the alcohol, which provides the aromatic structure, seems to have carried away the nuances and complexity.

Although alcohol-free wine is indeed de-alcoholised wine, some people recommend avoiding comparisons with traditional wine. These are two different drinks that should be appreciated for what they are. In any case, the best way to find out what it tastes like is to try it!

Drinking wine safely: why choose alcohol-free wine?

Non-alcoholic wine is booming, and with good reason! The market is responding to genuine consumer demand. Athletes, pregnant women, young people, people who are ill or undergoing treatment (diabetics, detoxification, etc.), people who do not consume alcohol for religious reasons or due to dietary restrictions, or those who are simply curious, we may all wish to enjoy the pleasure of wine tasting without the harmful effects of alcohol on our health when consumed in excess.

Still wine or sparkling wine: how to store alcohol-free wine?

Due to the absence of alcohol, a natural preservative, dealcoholised wines must be stored in the refrigerator after opening. Oxidation is slowed down by the cold, allowing the wine to retain its aromas for longer. Dealcoholised red wines should be consumed within 3 to 5 days after opening, white and rosé wines within 5 days, and sparkling or semi-sparkling wines, such as alcohol-free champagne, should be consumed within 2 days, otherwise they risk losing all their effervescence.

Other de-alcoholised drinks

Wine is not the only industry going alcohol-free! Today, almost all major families of spirits and fermented beverages have their alcohol-free equivalents.

Beer is undoubtedly the most widespread: it can be brewed in such a way as to naturally limit alcohol production, or de-alcoholised after fermentation.

Spirits are not to be outdone. Alcohol-free gin, alcohol-free rum, alcohol-free whisky, alcohol-free tequila, alcohol-free amaretto and even alcohol-free vermouth are now available for purchase. They are most often made by distilling or macerating plants, spices and fruits in water, which reproduces the complex aromas of traditional alcohol without fermentation. Some producers even go so far as to make a real spirit before de-alcoholising it, but this method remains rare and expensive.