The Low-Alcohol Wine Boom: Don’t Get Left Behind

Low- and no-alcohol wines are certainly having a moment, which Virginia and I previously discussed in the Voices of the Vine podcast episode, “The Quest for Producing Good Low Alcohol Wine” (S.1, Ep.1). Luckily, most producers across the U.S. can take advantage of low-alcohol wine production. This includes you! While non-alcohol wines require sophisticated technology and a plethora of resources, most wineries can take advantage of low-alcohol wine production. 

Below, I’m going to detail how anyone – yes anyone – can jump into this low alcohol wine trend in the simplest way possible (if you already make and sell wine). 

And here’s how…

Identify the Variety

Most regions in the U.S. grow wine grape varieties that are ripe at lower sugar (Brix) concentrations. As a general reminder, to keep a wine classified as a “wine” by TTB standards, wineries have to follow 27 CFR, which details the Standard of Identity (SOI) for wine. This is a complicated way of saying, wines are regulated to be above 7% alcohol. If the “wine” falls below 7% alcohol, the product will fall under FDA regulations for labeling.

(Links to these details are available in the Voices of the Vine Show Notes, which you can scan through here!)

But a 7.1% ABV wine is still pretty low alcohol, especially compared to the common table wine alcohol levels of 11.5 – 13.5% ABV. 

All of this is to say, there are several varieties out there that are picked at lower Brix levels which will naturally generate around 7 – 9% ABV when fermented to dryness. This equals a starting Brix of about 13 – 15 (depending on the alcohol conversion factor) with the assumption that the wine will get fermented to dryness and that the flavor is well-developed to some degree of actual ripeness (not underripe). 

So what are those varieties? Depending on your region, you may have a number of choices.

• Northeast/Mid-Atlantic: Muscat varieties, Niagara, Concord, Catawba, Cayuga, Seyval, Vidal Blanc
• South and Texas: Blanc du Bois, Muscadine varieties 
• Mid-West: Edelweiss, Brianna, Niagara, Concord, Catawba, Cayuga, Seyval
• West Coast: Muscat varieties

Use Good Fermentation Practices

While a few exception are listed above (Concord, some Muscadine varieties), most of the varieties listed all fall into the “white wine” category. Using sound white wine processing techniques is essential for producing a high-quality product.

Because these varieties are destined as low-alcohol wine products, have good cleaning and sanitation are required. We discussed many reasons for this in the podcast episode, “The Quest for Producing Good Low Alcohol Wine” (S.1, Ep.1) including the change in preservation for low ABV products, overall shelf stability, and packaging expectations. Essentially, this means the wiggle room for microbial mistakes gets tighter. 

Otherwise, wineries can follow standard white wine processing techniques. DGW Clients and Members can use the two process flow diagrams for white wine production, Crush & Destem Processing, or Full Cluster Processing. Following these step-by-step instructions ensure wines are processed without extra steps, in the appropriate order, and with consideration of essential monitoring techniques. 

Following the close of fermentation, varieties should be properly stabilized with sulfur dioxide (SO2). Monitor SO2 concentrations adequately by measuring the free SO2 and total SO2 about 48-hours after an addition has been made. Eliminate headspace when able, as headspace can deplete SO2 concentrations and facilitate oxidation reactions that are detrimental to the fresh quality associated with these varieties. Finally, make sure the wine is also stored properly at appropriate temperatures (50 – 55°F). Utilizing the proper wine temperature retains SO2 better in the wine, providing longevity for the product.

Stabilize Like a White Wine

Make sure that wines are stabilized properly for cold stability and heat/protein stability properties. Do not make assumptions that things like protein stability are the same for the same variety at varying degrees of alcohol (7.5% ABV vs. 13% ABV, for example). Changes in the wine’s chemistry and pH can impact the stabilization processes, so adequate testing is recommended. 

If you would like to take a try at analyzing for cold and protein stability in-house, DGW Clients and Members can use the following protocols:

• Cold Stability via Conductivity (answers whether or not the wine is cold stable)
• Protein Stability (answers whether or not the wine is protein stable)
• Bentonite Fining Trials for Protein and Colloid Stability (determines bentonite dosage rate required for protein stability and, optionally, colloidal stability if a tartrate inhibitor is added to the wine)

Keep in mind that higher pH’s are tricky in low-alcohol wines. Because the alcohol is at a lower concentration, the wine requires more things that contribute to its preservation in order to enhance its longevity for quality. When the wine pH is above 3.60, things like traditional cold stabilization processes (i.e., natural cold stabilization or contact seeding) may not be an option to cold stabilize as the process can increase the pH further. Instead, winemakers should opt for tartrate inhibitors in higher pH wines for cold stabilization purposes.  The links included here detail best practices for either cold stabilization method. 

Packaging Impacts Quality

The last consideration for production are packaging decisions. In general, my expectation for most low-alcohol wines is that their longevity is less than that of an average table wine. Therefore, packaging choices should reflect this expectation.

If wines are getting packaged into something like cans, then winemakers have additional considerations including wine chemical parameters that make a wine suitable for canning. Furthermore, most wines-in-can do not exhibit the same 1-year shelf life for quality as a glass bottle does. Therefore, if the wine is expected for canning, wineries should ensure they can sell the product within the appropriate shelf-life.

For more details on the topics covered here today, I’d encourage you to take a listen to our Voices of the Vine podcast episode on low-alcohol wine production. 

Or, consider joining our DGW Elite Membership option today, and get a chance to get more detailed discussions on how to produce a low-alcohol wine in your production facility. Elite Members get access to most resources on the DGW website and two opportunities per month to chat with myself, Denise Gardner, about how to make their wines better. 

The views and opinions expressed through dgwinemaking.com are intended for general informational purposes only. Denise Gardner Winemaking does not assume any responsibility or liability for those winery, cidery, or alcohol-producing operations that choose to use any of the information seen here or within dgwinemaking.com.