Terry Pomerantz tells us more about non-alcoholic red wines.
Non-Alcoholic Red wines: How are they made?
The oldest European patent for a non-alcoholic wine dates back to 1908. Wines without alcohol actually contain 0.3 % of alcohol per volume. They have 3 times less calories than wines with alcohol. Taste is quite close to regular wines.
There are two ways of making wine without alcohol:
- Non-alcoholic wine is made like regular wine, by fermenting the grape juice with yeast. The alcohol is then removed by distillation or filtration
- The winemaker can also avoid fermentation by adding gasification to the wine, for a sparkling wine for example. Winemakers will use this method mainly for non-alcoholic white wine production.
Vacuum Distillation
This consists of heating the fermented wine up to around 35 o C. As the liquid heats, a vacuuming system removes the alcohol vapors. These vapors are then passed through a condenser, where they are turned back into liquid, and the wine is now completely dealcoholized.
Dealcoholized wine made by vacuum distillation will have a taste that is quite similar to traditional red wine. These non-alcoholic wines do not contain many chemicals.
Filtration or Reverse Osmosis
Reverse osmosis will allow for the phenolic and aromatic compounds to be filtered before the alcohol is eliminated through distillation. Then, the leftover water is reintroduced into the condensed filtered wine.
10 Non-Alcoholic Red Wines
Among the available red wines with no alcohol, you will find some of these under $ 20, and some are even among the best red wines under $ 20 in Quebec:
- Noughty Thomson & Scott Syrah red. A South African non-alcoholic red wine that is balanced, with red fruit flavors, pepper undertones and rose petal notes.
- Leitz ‘Eins Zwei Zero. A German Pinot Noir with red current flavors. A perfect wine to pair with beef roast or venison.
- L’Arjolle. A blend of Merlot and Grenache, full-bodied.
- Mc Guigan Deligth Cabernet-Sauvignon. An Australian Cabernet-Sauvignon with eucalyptus and black fruit flavors.
- Artis Merlot, French wine.
- José Maria da Foncseca. A non-alcoholic red wine made from 50 % Syrah and 50 % Touriga Nacional.
- Torres Natureo 0.5. A Spanish non-alcoholic red wine made from 60 % Grenache and 40 % Syrah.
- Sangre de Toro 0.0 %. A non-alcoholic red wine with spices and black fruit flavors.
- Les Cocottes. A light non-alcoholic red wine that has maintained its delicious flavors without the alcohol.
- Le Silhouette. A Merlot by Pierre Chavin that contains 18 times less calories than a regular glass of red wine.
“All of my research online indicates that most of these wines are available as private imports or at the SAQ”. Terry Pomerantz also adds that “you can definitely use a non-alcoholic red wine to cook a delicious beef stew or venison stew in red wine sauce.”
An avid wine lover, Terry Pomerantz shares his love of fine bottles, guided by a responsible approach to the art of living. Discover his advice on food and wine pairing, his favorite bottles, and the ideal choices for each season and occasion. Immerse yourself in his passion and learn to fully appreciate each bottle in good company.