The 'Skinny' on No-Lo Alcohol Wines, Rosé & Red Wines Part II

Joel Butler MW 2.62, 10.29.2024

Continuing from Sunday’s post here I want to feature the Rosé and Red non-alcoholic wines tasted. However, I need to make a correction to Part I: The note for the Odd Bird nv, Odd Bird Blanc de Blanc De-alcoholized Wine-Languedoc fruit, made in Germany, stated that the residual sugar per Liter (Gr/L) was 40 Gr/L. That was a typo: it should read 56.8 Gr/L. 

Also, I actually will be getting a bottle of that crazy-expensive sparkling NO-alc wine, French Bloom  in the near future. I am also excited to get what I hope will be very good No-alc wines from CA vintners/friends Aaron Pott and Stephanie Honig, two people I have respected for a long time. I hope they have now made top quality wines in this category of wines under their new Missing Thorns label.  Stay Tuned.

Meanwhile, there are increasing numbers of non-alcoholic wines in the market—no way for one person to taste everything, so you should go out and make your own exploration. Sure, there will be turkeys-there is still a lot of trial and error. What gives me hope is that as smaller quality conscious serious wine makers become involved, their talent and insistence on making fine wine can harness the technology required to make No Alc wines that have both personality and proximate real wine character. It won’t happen overnight. There is a learning curve to traverse, but it may take less time than the 20-30 years it took California winemakers to figure out how to make fine Chardonnay beginning in the 1970’s.

Are there greater challenges to making rosé & red non-alcoholic wines. Making Rosé Non alcoholic wines is only marginally more difficult that making a white wine, primarily because of the fine-tuning required to get the color desired.

Previously, I noted that making Red non-alcoholic wines is a nut still waiting to be fully cracked. Clark Smith reminded me that “You need to employ a lot of tricks to restore aromatics, body and bite. You really should have good stuff (wine) to start with to obtain good structure and better results. This is trivially easy with wines like White Zinfandel and sparkling wine, but very challenging for dry reds and Chardonnay.” For virtually all producers, adding X amount of sugar via concentrated grape must (juice) is the main route to restoring some sense of body and texture.”

For red wines, besides the usually higher alcohol levels, their taste and weight are also affected by tannins, not to mention that most are made as dry wines with virtually no residual sugar, and aged in oak which contributes its own tannins and flavors. Restoring tannin or adding oak extract without the ‘masking’ agency of alcohol to approximate good red wine flavors is difficult.

Alcohol contributes body and textural roundness. If you start with a higher alcohol wine, and the more effectively you remove that alcohol, for example from 15% to .5%, the further away from ‘real wine’ character you are, so to speak. In my tastings (see below) the red wines derived from higher potential alcohol varieties like Cabernet or Merlot were generally less successful.

I asked Clark Smith about this ‘dilemma’. He noted that it takes at least 3-4% sugar to “ replace the body, or call it ‘alcohol sweetness’ of dry wine.” And, he notes, “In general, the lower the alcohol, the better the wine ages. Alcohol, especially above 14% ABV, disrupts colloidal structure and aromatic integration.” This perhaps explains why it is easier to make a good non-alcoholic wine from one that has lower alcohol content to begin with. It’s complicated!

Yet sugar alone replacing the alcohol in a non-alcoholic wine simply doesn’t convey the sense of body, and/or replace the tannins that contribute to the weight and tension of a real red wine, though it probably increases viscosity. In those red wines noted below that have added tannins, the lack of alcohol more obviously reveals the sweetness of the sugar and acid tartness. These struggle to over-compensate or balance out the tannic astringency clearly tasted, given the lighter weight and thin-ness the wine reveals.

Perhaps for this reason, it may be, going forward, that the more successful non-alcoholic red wines will be those derived from lower tannin and lower alcohol red grapes like Pinot Noir, Gamay, or Austria’s Zweigelt.

Most white wines start with lower alcohol levels, have little or no tannin and other phenolic contents. It is far easier to make a creditable non-alcoholic white wine than red, since white wines usually are fermented off the skins or with just brief skin contact. Recapturing some sense of weight while not obscuring the fruit character of the grapes used is more easily managed.

THE WINES/THE JUICE?

As in Part I, in the interests of full disclosure I have noted where these wines were purchased. I have also included notes for ALL of the wines tasted, the Good, the Meh, the ‘well, don’t bother’. Alcohol level, quality mark (NO-***) and Retail Price $ are at the end of each note.

NB: CO2 = Carbon dioxide; SO2= Sulphur Dioxide (preservative, anti-oxidant); Potassium Sorbate=preservative, (R)CGM= (Rectified) Concentrated Grape Must (sterilized, pasteurized)

ROSÉ WINE

Villa Amélie (bottled by SARL La Colombette, Beziers FR ) nv,  Alcohol  removed Grenache Rosé, Languedoc?  4 gr added sugar/serving, 20 gr/bottle  26.6 Gr/L. 100 calories/bottle. Ingredients: Dealcoholised Grenache wine 85%, fresh Grenache juice 15%, SO2. Pretty, pale pink-copper color to clear rim. Evident spicy, strawberry, hint of cinnamon(?) bouquet with varietal character; pleasing and perfumed. Light bodied, correct, vibrant cherry, raspberry like flavors with moderate acid, so there is a sense of  weight in mid-palate like a light rosé wine. Some citricity on finish enlivens and freshens the finish. Honest, fairly true to grape. A bit on pricey side, but quality is there. 0.5%  *+/16.5$  19   (Cru Selections, Seattle, Importer)

Giesen Wines NZ nv, De-Alcoholized Rosé wine NZ  PN?, Merlot?  6 gr added sugar/serving, 13 gr/bottle,17.3 gr/L. 100 calories/bottle. Ingredients: De-alcoholized NZ wine 94%, 6% grape juice, SO2. Light coppery-pale orange (salmon) color. Earthier, less fruit-driven aromas to Villa Amélie. Light citrusy-vibrant red fruit (cranberry, sour cherry) flavors suggest Pinot Noir.  Very tart on finish. Light body with little residual sugar noted.  Strong citrusy tangy finish. Wish it had more mid-palate fruit intensity to counter the acid. GV. Not bad, but short?   0%  *-/16-  $12  Esquin Wines

Newblood Wines nv, Newblood Triple Distilled Non Alcoholic Rosé, NSW Australia  ??grapes. 1.6 gr/serving, 9.6 gr sugar/bottle, 12.8 gr/L. 108 Calories/bottle. Ingredients: Dealcoholised wine, grape juice concentrate, Natural flavors, SO2. Weird, day glo orange-salmon, coppery color! Somewhat earthy, odd nutty, oxidized(?) cherry, orange zest aromas. Fairly tart-sweet flavors, with orange-citrus fruitiness, light body but not the style or quality character of their Chardonnay above. Somewhat flatter finish, more like a somewhat acidified Provence Rosé, but hollower. 0.5%  <*/15.5  $19 PCC Markets

RED WINES

The Front and Back labels for one of my favorite wines, made by Johannes Leitz in Rudesheim, Germany. He knows what he is doing! (JBMW)

Weingut J Leitz nv, Zero Point Five Pinot Noir Alcohol Removed wine Germany (Rheingau)?   5gr Added sugar/serving, 30 gr/bottle, 40 gr/L. 120 calories/bottle.  Ingredients: De-alcoholized Pinot noir wine, CGM, SO2.  Medium ruby color-PN typical.  Moderately intense, black cherry, almost plum or beet-root aromas, vaguely wine-y. Moderate weight on palate, strong dark cherry flavors with hint of black tea, or earthy-leafy notes; kinda PN-like!  Not too sweet on palate with good balancing acidity. Not much density in mid-palate, but pretty flavorful approximation of cool climate PN with little tannin so not astringent. Not inexpensive, but definitely more 'real' wine character. A successful no-alcohol wine.    0.5%    **-/16.5-17  $21   Total Wine

Villa Amélie (bottled by SARLLa Colombette, Beziers FR) nv, Alcohol  removed Merlot-Cabernet Languedoc?  4 gr/serving added sugar, 20 gr/bottle, 26.6 gr/L. 100 calories/bottle. Ingredients: Dealcoholized wine 85%, pasteurized juice 15%, SO2. Solid, medium deep ruby with violet reflex color. Aromas smell very ripe, almost dark berry, with cherry notes typical of the varieties.  Fairly fresh fruit flavors. Light-medium body.  Vibrant fruit  with little to no tannin astringency, and pleasant grapiness; sugar not obviously sweetening the wine.  A light Beaujolais style red; not rich, and just a pleasing subtle tea character with acidity on finish, not bad. Reasonable value. 0.5% *+/16.5  $19 Agora Market (Cru Selections Seattle, Importer?

Giesen Wines NZ nv, 0% Dealcoholized  NZ Premium red Blend  ?? Grapes    11gr added sugar/serving, 23 gr/bottle, 30.6 gr/L RS.  145 calories/bottle. Ingredients: De-alcoholized NZ wine 94%, 6% grape juice, SO2. Lighter ruby, with violet tinge than above two wines. Sweetish, somewhat cooked aromas of cherry, some raspberry. Lighter herbal, sweet red fruit but tart flavors. Little weight and some green, pyrazine-peppery notes noted on finish. Rather short, unexciting though not flawed or unpleasant. Just meh! Like Fre above in sense that both taste more like thin, tart grape juice than wine.    0.5? <*-/15  $21    Esquin Wines

One of One nv  De-alcoholized  Cabernet Sauvignon wine, CA  2 gr sugar/serving, 10 gr/bottle, 13.3 gr/L.  90 calories/bottle. Ingredients:  De-alcoholized Cab Sauv wine, Filtered water, grape juice concentrate, yeast protein, oak tannin, potassium sorbate, SO2.  Dull ruby garnet, as if more mature wine used or oxidized juice?). Verry simple cooked fruit, herby, citrus aromas and flavors. Quite short flavors light weight, lacks definition and any sense of wine character. Thin, unappealing.  0.5%  NO $11.75   Whole Foods

Van Loveren Family Vyds nv, Almost Zero Cabernet Sauvignon alcohol free wine, S. Africa  2 gr sugar/serving, 12gr sugar/bottle, 16 gr/L. 138 calories/bottle. Ingredients: De-alcoholized wine, grape juice, glycerol, SO2, Natural flavors.  Solid dark ruby CS typical color. Confected sour cherry, raspberry fruity flavors with green, herbal, tart finish. Hint of tannin adds some astringency. Overall, pretty dry, even some tannin on finish, but little weight to offset the pyrazine herbiness. Not appealing.  0.5% No  $14  Total Wine

Peter Mertes GMbh nv,  Be Free Cabernet Sauvignon de-alcoholized wine, Made in Germany  6 gr added sugar/serving, 36 gr/bottle, 4 gr/L. 168 Calories/bottle. Ingredients: 97% de-alcoholized Cab Sauv wine, sugar, flavors.  Moderately dark ruby, a bit dull in hue. Pleasant wine-y black tea, dark cherry plum aromas. Fairly evident Cabernet character, surprisingly! (Fruit likely from France, though). Sugary flavors, especially on finish, with moderately tart acid contributing some freshness Still, this definitely tastes more confected, with tea-like tannins not quite offsetting the sweetness. Definitely serve moderately but not too chilled. Best by 7/2026 according to producer. I wouldn't wait that long. 0.5% NO  $10  Total Wine

Ariel Wines nv, Premium Cabernet Sauvignon De-alcoholized wine, CA  10 Gr added sugar/serving, 30 gr/bottle, 40 gr/L. 156 calories/bottle. Ingredients: Purified water, deacoholized wine, grape juice concentrate, natural fruit juice concentrate, natural flavors, SO2. CORK Closure. Strong, near opaque black purple ruby very Cab Sauv young color. Somewhat wine-y black fruit, black tea aromas and flavors, but also an odd geranium sorbate citrusy aroma giving the aromas a candied, artificial  quality. Moderate body, dryish finish with clear tannin focus, and tea-like, somewhat herbal flavors on finish. Kind of thin, but at least resembles a lighter Cab Sauv. Except for the odd, chemical floral aromas, Passable quality. But no real depth and strange candied character. 0.5%  <*-/15-  $17  Esquin Wines

Luminara Beverages (Sutter Home Wines) nv, Fre Alcohol Removed Red Blend, CA    11 gr sugar/serving, 33 gr/bottle, 44 gr/L. 210 calories/bottle. Ingredients; Dealcoholized premium red wine, grape juice (20%), grape concentrate, natural flavors, sodium benzoate, potassium sorbate, SO2. Moderate dark ruby color. Earthy, somewhat rubbery, baked red fruit aromas suggest a richer flavored wine. But, alas, rather light, sugary-acidic finish & light bodied grapy flavors.  Tart cherry, even some candied raspberry notes. Not terrible, nonetheless a confected sense to it. Serve chilled of course.  Lacks much in the way of length. Grapy, tart finish. Passable.  0.5%   *-/15.5-16  $15 Trader Joes

Luminara Beverages (Sutter Home Wines), 2022 Fre Red Blend De-alcoholized wine, Napa Valley Cab, Merlot????  8 gr sugar (0 added/serving), 24 gr bottle, 32 Gr/L. Ingredients De-alcoholized red wine, grape concentrate, Natural flavors, Sodium benzoate, Potassium sorbate, SO2.   Also fairly dark ruby deeper hue but no violet or purple.  Distinctive, fairly strong black fruit, dark cherry and somewhat earthy cherry cola (root beer?) aromas, with a hint of dried herbs.  Lighter bodied, shorter flavors than the Villa Amelie above.  Narrower thin fruitiness with edgier acidity shortening the finish. Drinkable, but dull and with slightly cooked or earthy notes on finish.  Less recommended. Serve chilled (as all of the reds so far should be!)  0.5%  <*-/15  $13  Whole Foods

Luminara Beverages (Sutter Home Wines) nv, Fre Alcohol Removed Cabernet Sauvignon, CA  7 gr sugar/serving, 21 gr/bottle, 28 gr/L. 150 calories/bottle. Ingredients: Dealcoholized Cab Sauv wine, Grape juice (12%), Natural flavors, sodium benzoate, potassium sorbate, SO2. Denser ruby color to above, but still not on the violet purple side. Deeper black cherry, confected, earthy aromas with less candied notes to above, with CS leafy-black tea herbality, too. A bit more (?) body than above, less sweet flavors. Tarter, leaner mid-palate, though, and tannins seem more astringent, drying out the puckery finish. If only there was more fruit weight evident in the mid-palate this would be more acceptable.  Less round and appealing therefore than the Fre Red wine above, even though this shows more Cabernet intensity.  0.5%  NO $16 Trader Joes            

Waterbrook Wines nv, Clean Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley, WA?  6 gr added sugar/serving, 13 gr/bottle, 17.3 gr/L. 150 calories/bottle. Ingredients: De-alcoholized red wine, must grape concentrate, water, natural oak extracts, natural flavors, potassium carbonate, gum arabic, SO2.  Dark black-ish ruby color.  Smoky toasty oak extract aromas dominate the dark, black cherry-plum cola fruit aromas. Medium body. pretty good fruit intensity with firming tannins and a bit of black tea flavors. Acidity is evident, but stronger oak/tannin extract broadens the texture.  Almost similar to the Wine below. But less weight and astringency and suppler finish, marginally.  Best of the non-alc reds so far, other than Leitz PN. Good Value.  0.5%        *+/16-16.5  $10 Total Wine

Waterbrook Wines 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon, WA Control Wine   Dark ruby, hint black color similar to above. Grapy, black cherry plum and light sweet oaky bouquet accented by some pine-oak scents and dried herbs.  Medium plus body. Strong, anise, black fruit, medicinal oak, bitter chocolate flavors. Quite chewy, firm tannins on finish with oaky astringency. Not especially balanced as the fruit sweetness is buried under the tannins. One sees how much definition alcohol conveys to the overall depth/definition of the wine vs. the no-lo alc Cabernet!  This has strong-character but is over-extracted WA Cabernet without the balance and mature tannins of better wines. Hard to enjoy now. Doubtful it will improve much, but-Now-2029?  13.9%  <*-/<15  $20  Total wine

Chateau Diana nv, Chateau Diana Alcohol Removed red blend CA  ??grapes     13 gr sugar/serving (2gr added), 39 gr/bottle, 52 gr/L. 300 calories/bottle.  Ingredients: De-alcoholized red wine, grape concentrate, natural fruit flavors, CO2, SO2. Light ruby color.  Fairly fresh sour cherry, hint of tomato and a bit of strawberry fruitiness in aromas and flavors. Good acidity balances clear sweetness. Light body., juicy, fresh. Served chilled of course. Palatable, not unpleasant, but 'grapy', not winey.  Too $$?  0.5%   */16- $22   BevMo

Thomson & Scott nv,  Thomson & Scott Noughty Dealcoholized Red Syrah, S. Africa   4 gr added sugar/serving, 26.6gr/bottle, 25 Gr/L. 100 calories/bottle. Ingredients: dealcoholized syrah wine.  Imported by Sampson Family Wines LLC to UK & bottled there. Fairly deep ruby, but nowhere near as dark as the Waterbrook Cab Sauv de-alc.  Cranberry, darker berry fruit aromas and a vestige (?) of Syrah black pepper. Definitely more wine-y than above Ch. Diana! Medium bodied, red fruit flavors with light tannin bite adding definition. More tart, less sweet finish in a Beaujolais style, but shows reasonable character approximating a light 'real' wine. I would not serve this too cold, as like the Waterbrook Cab Low-alc, the tannins are more present and the wine would taste too astringent. Too $$, though a solid effort due to the superior fruit quality evidently used!  0.5%   *+/16.5   $25  Metropolitan Market Seattle