Release Date: July 3, 2026
In the last episode of Season 2, we’re going to end exactly where we started: with low alcohol wine. Today, Virginia and I taste a low alcohol Sauvignon Blanc wine versus a regular Sauvignon Blanc table wine, both produced in New Zealand. We’re here to compare and contrast what a low alcohol wine actually tastes like compared to a regular table wine. We’ll talk about mouthfeel, the process in which this wine was made, consistency versus seasonal variation, and highlight some of our sensory preferences with a low alcohol wine. Good lessons in this episode that highlight potential consumer expectations from a high quality low alcohol wine.
Links for things mentioned in this episode:
- Wines tasted for comparison:
- For us, the low alcohol Sauvignon Blanc was very juicy, losing the alcohol aromatic. There was also a lack of tannin in the low alcohol Sauvignon Blanc. However, the grassiness and fruitiness in the aroma and flavor was fresher in the low alcohol wine compared to the table wine. The table wine, unfortunately, came across as reductive and high in SO2.
- In Season 2, Episode 1: The Quest for (Good) Low Alcohol Wines, Denise and Virginia discuss options for producing high quality low alcohol wines.
- Don’t miss Denise’s production tips for making good low alcohol wines at your winery: The Low Alcohol Wine Boom: Don’t Get Left Behind.
- Denise and Virginia discussed the need to have multiple people screen wines prior to bottling due to sensory perception variation amongst individuals. This was illustrated when Denise and Virginia had different reductive perceptions associated with the Sauvignon Blanc wine. People vary widely in their ability to sense individual sulfur-containing aromas, especially.
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