A “Dry” January with non-alcoholic wine

The New Year brings new goals and new challenges, out with the old and in with the new. For many, this includes a temporary break from alcohol. Dry January became a “thing” as a challenge to those over indulgers of the holiday season. It’s a choice to take some time off from drinking. Originating in Finland in the 1940’s during a war effort against the Soviet Union. Recently the UK has taken up a national challenge, not to have you hide away for a month, but to give you an alternative, and a chance to try something new in a non-alcohol wine!

Not surprising, the Covid pandemic caused the largest spike in overall alcohol use (and abuse) in the world, in over 50 years. Heavy drinking is considered by the medical community to be more than five drinks per day for men and four or more for women. Researchers say cutting out alcohol for just thirty days can offer noticeable differences in your health. So, if you’re looking to give it a try and spend the first of the year alcohol free, there are alcohol removed wines available and we have them for you to try!

You may wonder what does non-alcoholic wine taste like? It’s made to taste as close as possible to its alcoholic cousin, going through the exact same wine making process that turns grape juice into fermented grape juice, with the alcohol removed from the finished process. Indeed, the taste is altered, however, drinking alcohol removed wine is a great way to take a break, even though there are still trace amounts of alcohol in the bottle. For a drink to be considered “nonalcoholic” it has to be less than .05% ABV according to the USDA. At .05% it is scientifically impossible to experience any of the psychoactive effects from alcohol. For a wine to be “alcohol free” it has to be 0% alcohol.

Everyone knows that wine is made through science and technology, but it is also made with the artistry of the winemaker. Taking alcohol out of wine is a matter of pure science. There are three methods commonly used.

Vacuum Distillation

The wine is heated and the alcohol evaporates without cooking or overly altering the taste of the wine. As the vinified wine is heating up, a vacuum system sucks off any vapors that escape- the vaporized alcohol then passes through a condenser where it cools down and turns back into liquid and is removed. The remaining liquid is completely de-alcoholized wine. Since no additives are used in this process to potentially change the flavor of the wine, it is the process used most often.

Reverse Osmosis

This process is less popular than Vacuum Distillation for the mere fact that it is not as friendly to the environment as it uses a lot of water during the process. Water was the original reason for the use of RO – filtering out contaminates in drinking water, like bacteria, heavy metals, viruses and impurities. The process begins by pre filtering the wine and removing particles larger than 1 micron. High pressure pumps then push both clean water and the processed liquid (wine) through a membrane designed to allow only water molecules through. The process leaves behind only trace amounts of alcohol. The benefits of Reverse Osmosis are winemakers can manipulate their wine at any time during the process -adding flavorings, grape juice or sugar, etc.

Spinning Cone Column

This is a technique using low temperature distillation to gently remove alcohol while retaining the flavors of the wine. Wine is poured into the top of a cone under a vacuum (a vertical cylinder about 40” in diameter and 13’ tall}. The wine passes over a series of cones, some spin and some are stationery. The spinning uses a centrifugal force to spread the wine into a thin film. Nitrogen gas is fed into the bottom of the column to extract the aromas and flavors. The wine is passed through the column again at a higher temperature to assure the alcohol is removed. The flavor and aroma essences are then blended back into the de-alcoholized wine.

Here are some alcohol free alternatives we either have in stock or can order for you!

Giessen Non Alcohol Wines

This New Zealand wine making company has dedicated itself to the non alcoholic beverage industry in partnering with The Zero Proof Company. The company’s aim is to provide terroir driven, quality non-alcoholic wines. The Giessen Brothers are also doing organic and biodynamic practices and setting the bar for the industry of alcohol-removed products. The Giessen Red blend has been blended to emulate a fine New Zealand Merlot, with flavors of crushed red berries and plum, subtle oak and a fresh finish. We give it two bones.

Fre

Trinchero Family Estates is home to a line of wines of many varietals created for the non- alcohol drinker that still wants to enjoy a glass in hand and the flavors of wine. The Fre Sparkling Brut is sourced from California’s maritime climate vineyards, where bright acidity and crisp fruit flavors come through. A fragrant nose of green apple and ripe pair. We give it three bones.

This New Zealand wine making company has dedicated itself to the non alcoholic beverage industry in partnering with The Zero Proof Company. The company’s aim is to provide terroir driven, quality non-alcoholic wines. The Giessen Brothers are also doing organic and biodynamic practices and setting the bar for the industry of alcohol-removed products. The Giessen Red blend has been blended to emulate a fine New Zealand Merlot, with flavors of crushed red berries and plum, subtle oak and a fresh finish. We give it two bones.

Fre

Trinchero Family Estates is home to a line of wines of many varietals created for the non- alcohol drinker that still wants to enjoy a glass in hand and the flavors of wine. The Fre Sparkling Brut is sourced from California’s maritime climate vineyards, where bright acidity and crisp fruit flavors come through. A fragrant nose of green apple and ripe pair. We give it three bones.

Ariel

Owned by J Lohr Vineyards, with access to hundreds of acres of estate vineyards, the Ariel line is dedicated to de-alcoholized wines from Central Coast, Monterey and Paso Robles. Tropical fruit flavors and aromas, and a touch of toasty oak dominate the Ariel N/A Chardonnay flavor profile. We give it three bones.

Dr. Fischer Zero

Alcohol Free Riesling and Brut from the boutique producer Weingut Dr. Fischer in Mosel, Germany. The Foradori and Hofstatter family have been producing world class German and Italian wines together for centuries, now they produce two N/A for your enjoyment. The Steinbock Riesling Zero shows crisp apple and pear, with a dry, crisp and acidic finish and flavors of melon. We give it three bones.

Whether you choose to take the month off for “Dry January” or just want to experience what a de-alcoholized wine tastes like, we’ve got you covered here at Ed’s.

Happy New Year! Salud.

By CRBrown