What Is Low Alcohol Wine? + Delicious Selections in Red, White and Rosé

It’s the latest craze in wine! Wine lovers everywhere are seeking out low alcohol wine in order to have a healthier drinking option without sacrificing flavor and body. It’s a trend on the rise and it’s expected to continue to gain speed throughout 2021 and 2022. In order to be “low alcohol”, wines should have an ABV of less than 12.5%, but some go as low as 6%! The key to this is harvesting low sugar grapes so there is less sugar to turn into alcohol during the fermentation process. This can occur naturally depending on the climate where the grapes grow, but there are also several growing techniques wineries use to produce low-sugar grapes. They can also dealcoholize wine via reverse-osmosis. It’s a lot of science-y goodness that gives us a yummy glass that we can feel less guilty about!

Today, we’re answering some of the most-asked questions about low alcohol wine, and we’ve also rounded up some of our favorites you can buy right online!

Ready to take a sip? Let’s go!

How Does Low Alcohol Wine Differ From Normal Wine?

Your average wine has an ABV (alcohol by volume) of around 12-14%. However this number has started to climb even higher in recent years. Some even reach 20%! A low alcohol wine ideally has an ABV of less than 12.5%. Like we stated above, a lower alcohol content is due to lower sugar in the grapes. There are several natural factors that affect this, including- the type of grape, the growing climate, and how ripe the grape is at harvesting.

Why Should You Try Low Alcohol Wines?

There are several benefits to drinking low-alcohol wine. We all know that too much alcohol in your diet can be damaging to your health. If you’re unaware of the ABV of your favorite bottle, you could easily be consuming more alcohol than you expect!

Low alcohol wines can help you avoid those nasty hangovers, and they can help you maintain a level of moderation. They are also a keto-friendly beverage. After all, low alcohol translates to low sugar too!

The technology of low alcohol wine has come a long way, and you don’t need to worry about sacrificing on flavor or experience if you make the switch. A major plus? As long as you drink wisely, moderate levels of alcohol and antioxidants found in wine can be beneficial to a healthy diet.

How to Find the Best Bottles

An easy way to spot a low alcohol wine is the check the back of the bottle. Look for an ABV of less than 12.5%. You can also look for wines that are produced in New Zealand, Germany, Northern Italy, and Northern France, as these regions have cooler climates which naturally produce lower sugar levels in grapes.

Another thing to keep in mind is that some wine colors are more naturally suited to lower alcohol content than others. For example, it’s more difficult to produce low alcohol red wine, but we’re sure more technology is currently in place to make it easier and easier. When in doubt, you can always choose a sparkling wine as those naturally have lower ABV.

Best Low Alcohol White Wines

• 2019 Loves Me Not® White Blend (California)- Tasting notes of citrus, flowers, white peach- $14.99- ABV 12.7%

• 2019 #TBT® Chardonnay (California)- Tasting notes of apple, lemon, lychee, pineapple- $15.99- ABV 12.8%

• 2020 Point de Passage Sauvignon Blanc (France)- Tasting notes of green apple, lemon, wet stone, white peach- $17.99- ABV 12.5%

• 2020 Outer Sounds® Sauvignon Blanc (New Zealand)- Tasting notes of gooseberry, guava, lime, pineapple- $16.99- ABV 12.6%

• August Kesseler Riesling R Kabinett (Germany)- Typical flavors of ripe fruits, aromatic apples & peaches- $15.99- ABV 10%

Low Alcohol Rose’

• 2020 Cocomero Rosé (California)- Tasting notes of cranberry, lime, watermelon, wet stone- $16.99- ABV 12.6%

• 2020 Loves Me Not Rosé (California)- Tasting notes of lime, rose, strawberry, watermelon- $14.99- ABV 12.5%

• 2019 Rebanada De Vida Rosé (Spain)- Tasting notes of citrus, peach ring, rose, strawberry- $14.99- ABV 12.5%

• 2018 Trés Chic Rosé (France)- Tasting notes of gooseberry, grapefruit, raspberry, thyme- $18.99- ABV 12.5%

• Villa Wolf Pinot Noir Rose (Germany)- Light and refreshing, with deliciously bright fruit flavors and a clean, zippy finish- $11.99- ABV 11.5%

Low Alcohol Red Wines

• Decoy California Cabernet Sauvignon (California)- On the palate, the lush fruit flavors are framed by rich tannins and hints of dark chocolate and barrel spice- $20.99- ABV 13.9%

• Decoy California Red Wine (California)- Rich and concentrated, this full-bodied wine displays alluring layers of ripe and juicy berry flavors, underscored by plush tannins that carry the wine to a long, silky finish- $26.99- ABV 13.5%

• Chateau De Costis Bordeaux (France)- Taste notes of raspberry, cherry, oak, chocolate and leather- $10.99- ABV 12%

• Allegrini Valpolicella (Italy)- The rich palate doles out plum cake, black cherry, black pepper, cinnamon and nutmeg alongside smooth, velvety tannins- $18.99- ABV 13.38%

• San Felice Chianti Classico (Italy)- Tasting Notes: Luminous ruby red. Scents of cherry, raspberry and sweet violets- $15.99- ABV 13%

Low Alcohol Sparking Wines