Best low and no alcohol wine 2022: eight lighter wine options to try

With the dawn of a new year often come the resolutions and promises to drink less. While previously going alcohol-free might have meant losing out on quality wines and opting for an alternative spirt-based drink, there’s now a fast-growing selection of quality low alcohol wines on offer.

Methods for reducing the alcohol content of wine, or indeed taking it out altogether, have become much more sophisticated, resulting in more balanced and characterful teetotal bottlings. The most popular method is reverse osmosis, a complex process that filters out water and alcohol. But lower ABV products (around 8% ABV) can also be achieved in the vineyard through the picking of less ripe grapes – resulting in less sugar to convert to alcohol. However, sometimes more sugar is added by winemakers to recreate the mouthfeel of wine, and the result can be little more than sugary flavoured grape juice. Even so, at a tasting of low and no alcohol wines, IWSC judges found a growing selection of options to impress even the most discerning sceptic.

low and no wine making — Low-abv wine begins its journey in the same way as a regular wine

Among the IWSC‘s top picks was Comercial DYP Sinzero Cabernet Sauvignon 2020, scoring 96/100 and praised as ‘powerful with lots of dark red fruit and smoky notes of oak and tobacco spice’ and ‘well-rounded’ – something not always found in low and no wine offerings.

There were some standout sparkling options, including Edenvale Beverages Sparkling Shiraz NV, also scoring a Gold medal and impressing with ‘a gloriously persistent mousse and smoothly elegant flavours of ripe blackcurrants and sweet juicy red berries,’ as well as Cave de Ribeauvillé’s ‘rich and inviting’ Ribo Sparkling NV, suitable for those partial to a glass of Champagne.

Below, we’ve selected the best low and no alcohol wines from the IWSC 2022 for those looking to cut back on their drinking or simply curious to see how alcohol-free drinking is rapidly evolving.

HOW DO WE JUDGE THESE Low and no alcohol drinks?

We run a tightly structured, rigorous low and no alcohol tasting process. That means that each drink sample is pre-poured into numbered glasses and assessed blindly by the judges. Most importantly, our IWSC low and no judges are experts in their field, who work across all sectors of the alcohol-free drinks industry. For evidence, see our full list of judges.

HOW DO WE SCORE THESE low and no alcohol drinks?

Only the best low and no alcohol drinks sampled receive a Gold or Silver award. For example, to win Gold, spirits have to score between 95 and 100 points. Meanwhile, Silver winners range from 90 to 94 points. Click here to read more on our scoring system.

MORE FROM CLUB OENOLOGIQUE

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