No, low and mid strength wine: how is it made?

Lower alcohol wine has become increasingly visible on bottle shop shelves, but how is it actually made? And what happens to the wine when some of the alcohol is removed?

There are a few different approaches to making no, low and mid strength wine, and the method used can have a noticeable effect on the finished product.

What is the difference between no, low and mid strength wine?

The main difference is the alcohol by volume (ABV), which tells you what percentage of the drink is alcohol.

No alcohol wine contains little to no alcohol usually 0.0- 0.5%, while low is no more than 1.15% and mid strength wines sit between 5-10, usually aiming for around 6-8%. The term “mid strength” does not have one universally applied definition, so it is worth checking the ABV on the label rather than relying on the wording alone.

For context, a typical bottle of wine might sit around 12% to 14.5% ABV. The mid strength Shiraz I picked up recently was just 7% ABV, which is a substantial reduction.

How is the alcohol removed from wine?

There are several ways to produce lower alcohol wine. One option is to make a wine with less alcohol in the first place usually using early harvested grapes with a lower sugar content. Another is to produce a conventional wine and then remove some or most of the alcohol.

Two common alcohol removal technologies are reverse osmosis and spinning cone technology.

Reverse osmosis

Reverse osmosis uses a special membrane and pressure to separate components of the wine. This creates a fraction containing the alcohol, which is then processed to separate the ethanol from the water. The remaining wine components can be recombined to produce a lower alcohol wine.The aim is to reduce the alcohol while retaining as much of the wine's original character as possible.

Spinning cone technology

Spinning cone technology uses low pressure and a series of spinning cones to separate volatile compounds from wine. Aroma compounds can be collected and returned, while the alcohol is removed.

This matters because wine aroma is made up of many different volatile compounds, not just alcohol. The challenge is to remove the alcohol while preserving the flavours and aromas that make the wine enjoyable.

See the video here:

ConeTech's Spinning Cone Column

What happens to the taste when alcohol is removed?

Alcohol contributes more to wine than just its strength. It affects the body, texture and overall impression of a wine.

When alcohol is reduced, a wine can feel lighter or less full on the palate. Its fruit, acidity and other structural elements may also seem more prominent or less balanced than they did before processing.

The final result depends on the original wine, how much alcohol is removed and the technology used. Removing a small amount of alcohol can have a different effect from reducing a wine from around 13% ABV to 7%, or removing nearly all of it.

Producers may need to make adjustments to achieve a balanced finished wine, but there is no single recipe that works for every variety or style.

Can you make lower alcohol wine without removing alcohol?

Yes.

Alcohol levels can also be managed earlier in the winemaking process.

Harvesting grapes earlier generally means they contain less sugar, which can result in less alcohol after fermentation. However, grape ripeness also affects flavour development, acidity, colour and texture, so the winemaker needs to consider the overall balance of the wine.

Fermentation choices can also influence the final alcohol level. These approaches are different from making a conventional wine and removing the alcohol afterwards.

Is mid strength wine worth trying?

I think the most interesting question is not simply how much alcohol is in the bottle, but how well the wine works as a wine.

A 7% Shiraz is an interesting example because Shiraz is often associated with fuller-bodied wines, ripe fruit and a noticeable tannin structure. Seeing how a lower alcohol version delivers its fruit, texture and balance makes for a worthwhile comparison.

Lower alcohol does not automatically mean lower quality, just as a higher alcohol wine is not automatically better. The variety, winemaking decisions and finished balance all matter.

As more options become available, I am interested in seeing how producers approach these wines and how the different methods influence what ends up in the glass.Have you tried a no, low or mid strength wine that surprised you? I would be interested to hear what you thought.