Wine is fundamentally known as a light alcoholic beverage made from fermented grapes. The percentage of alcohol and its variation, along with its influence on taste, are important aspects of any wine. Therefore, when the latest trend in the wine industry is mentioned – dealcoholized wine, it naturally raises questions among wine enthusiasts.
Just like beer, wine is one of the most popular beverages in the world, so it’s no wonder that after non-alcoholic beer, we’re witnessing a growing trend of non-alcoholic wine. The light taste of grapes combined with a moderate alcohol content also allows for moderate enjoyment of this beverage. Wine is something that will always be recommended for lunch and dinner, while other popular but strong alcoholic beverages like whiskey are usually reserved for consumption in the evening due to their intense alcohol content. Moreover, the lower alcohol content and fruity origin give wine an advantage over its “competitive” alcoholic beverages due to its lighter and less intense taste. The pleasant taste of fine wines is palate-friendly and non-fizzy like beer, making it suitable for consumption at any time of the day.
All these factors actually lead to a perfectly logical result for the wine industry – why not create something with the taste of wine but without the alcoholic content, which would truly enable enjoyment of this divine beverage in all circumstances? The potential applications of such a beverage are indeed broad: people who cannot drink regular wine due to health issues can still enjoy its taste; having lunch before a long journey, you may not want to be drowsy but also don’t want to drink juice with excellent fish; the possibility of enjoying a sophisticated drink at a business lunch without risking the professionalism and sobriety of the guests…
What actually constitutes dealcoholized wine?
Dealcoholized wine is, as the name suggests, wine. It is not grape juice or similar derivatives found in stores because the process of producing dealcoholized wine in its initial stages is identical to that of alcoholic wine. It all begins in the vineyard where the vines and grapes are cared for, followed by the fermentation phase. In this phase, the alcohol content and the taste of the wine itself appear due to the fruit fermentation process. Depending on the production process and grape variety, wine can have between 5 and 18% alcohol, with no fixed limits. The final stage involves aging the wine in barrels according to desired outcomes, all as in the normal wine production process, so where does the dealcoholization actually occur?
Dealcoholization Processes
There are various methods of dealcoholizing wine. All these processes are made possible by high technology, and until a few decades ago, it was difficult to apply these methods. With the spread of knowledge and tools, numerous high-tech processes have become available even to small wineries and producers, and today, we actually see that demand is driving this new industry, often filled by highly qualified startups worldwide. Here, we’ll mention some of the most popular methods of wine dealcoholization.
Vacuum distillation
This method places the wine in a vacuum and heats it at low temperatures ranging from 21-35 degrees Celsius. Vacuum conditions ensure that alcohol evaporates at lower temperatures, thus preserving the taste and composition of the wine. The process of alcohol evaporation by heating should occur at much higher temperatures in non-vacuum conditions, so the method avoids vacuum due to the significant part of the taste sacrificed along with the alcohol. After the process is complete, the winemaker checks the taste of the wine and adds ingredients such as water or natural grape juice to replace the missing volume and balance the desired composition.
Spinning cone method
Despite the awkward name, this method, as is obvious from the name, focuses on the physical aspect of wine and alcohol separation. The wine is placed in spinning cones that rotate at high speeds in circles. Centrifugal force separates various wine components present in physically separate layers. Nitrogen gas is added to the cones, extracting all “layers” of the wine except alcohol and water. During this process, alcohol and water are separated from the wine, and the same water that was present in the wine is separated from alcohol and reintroduced back to the wine. Interestingly, compared to vacuum distillation, the separation process is different. In vacuum distillation, the focus is solely on separating alcohol. This method of focusing on alcohol separates it but sacrifices taste because all components are exposed to that temperature along with alcohol. In the spinning cone method, the focus is on preserving all wine components except alcohol. Despite the fact that wine is physically mixed, which definitely affects it, the chemical impact is minimal due to reliance primarily on centrifugal forces for separation and preservation of desired wine compositions.
Reverse osmosis
Reverse osmosis is actually a process of alcohol filtration from wine. In this method, wine is filtered through very fine and detailed filters under high pressure. This method separates alcohol and water from one side and the concentrated wine mixture from the other side. The combination of water and alcohol is then gently boiled and mixed back with the concentrated wine mixture from the other side. In this case, boiling the mixture of alcohol and water is not as sensitive because water is robust and retains most of its components at various temperatures. The only difference is that a smaller amount of water is obtained due to the evaporation process, so it is crucial to add a good ratio of water to the new mixture to retain the original flavors.
Additional differences of dealcoholized wine for interested parties
The biggest difference to be aware of is that dealcoholized wine is by no means the same as grape juice. Wine undergoes its own production process, which in the case of dealcoholized wine, is identical with additional steps. Grape juice can never achieve the taste of wine, while dealcoholized wine retains numerous wine aromas embedded in the beverage through the production process. Sparkling grape juice or similar beverages are something that potential buyers could confuse and get the wrong impression. Of course, these additional processes affect the taste of wine, so it’s normal for dealcoholized wines to have a slightly milder and lighter taste. You just need to make sure that the winery doesn’t add additional sugar or other refined products to its wine, while natural products like homemade grape juice or spring water are acceptable and even necessary additives.
Also, a warning for all pregnant women or people on medication. Dealcoholized wine may contain small amounts of alcohol. Alcohol categorization dictates that anything below 0.5% alcohol is non-alcoholic, and anything below 1.2% is low-alcohol. If you can eat wine vinegar in salad, you’ll probably be able to drink dealcoholized wine, but with mandatory consultations with your doctor and thorough product checking.
Let’s hope to see more dealcoholized wines in Croatian wineries soon, and we look forward to responsible enjoyment of our favorite beverage!