Posted on 04/08/2025 3:14:06 PM PDT by nickcarraway
The European Commission recently presented measures to strengthen the competitiveness of the wine sector and that includes the promotion of alcohol-free wine. Health concerns, a crackdown on drink-driving, changing habits among the younger generation, all of these factors are thought to be reasons why per capita alcohol consumption in Europe fell by 20% between 2000 and 2019, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
Faced with flagging demand, some winemakers are betting on alcohol-free wine and opting for innovation to diversify sales.
Near the city of Charleroi, Associated Beverage Solutions has been producing alcohol-free wine since 2018 using vacuum distillation, a process that is said to preserve flavours and aromas better than other methods.
This technique involves heating wine in a vacuum to lower the boiling temperature of the alcohol to 35°C instead of around 90°C.
Dealcoholisation does, however, alter the taste of the wine so other ingredients and aromas are added afterwards.
"The taste and quality of alcohol-free wine are clearly improving. We've seen quite a few players on the flavour market or suppliers of oenological products who have taken an interest in alcohol-free wines, who have developed product ranges specifically for alcohol-free, which help us to make more interesting products," Benoit Poisson, production manager at Associated Beverage Solutions, told Euronews.
The company produces alcohol-free white and sparkling wines in larger quantities than red and rosé.
"It's more difficult to make a red wine without alcohol because there's a more rounded sensation and the balance is more difficult to achieve once the alcohol has been removed," Poisson explained.
And the customers are already there. The company's production of non-alcoholic wine has risen from 1.2 million litres in 2019 to 5.3 million litres in 2024.
Its wine suppliers come mainly from France, Spain and Italy. The majority of its de-alcoholised wine production is then sold to Scandinavian countries, the Netherlands, Belgium and England, "historically more open to novelty" in terms of wines, according to Francis Aguilar, Managing Director of Associated Beverage Solutions.
A glass of wine is seen in Chablis, 3 April, 2025 A glass of wine is seen in Chablis, 3 April, 2025AP Photo 0.0% or low-alcohol? On 28 March, the European Commission presented an action plan to boost the competitiveness and resilience of the wine sector in the face of changing consumer habits, climate change and market uncertainties.
Wrap Foil Around Doorknobs When Alone, Here's Why Wrap Foil Around Doorknobs When Alone, Here's Why Ad by 101LifeHacks In particular, it proposes to support the marketing of 0% or low-alcohol wines by clarifying the rules and standardising definitions across the single market.
At present, the terms "zero alcohol", "0.0%", "alcohol-free" and "low-alcohol" are regulated differently across the EU and do not have the same alcohol content from one member state to another.
The Commission is therefore in favour of using the term "alcohol-free" to designate a wine with an actual alcoholic strength (ABV) not exceeding 0.5% by volume. The term "0.0%" would be added if this does not exceed 0.05% by volume. Finally, the term "low alcohol content" would indicate a wine with an ABV greater than 0.5% by volume and 30% less than the minimum ABV set for the category before dealcoholisation.
"We've chosen a process that produces 0.0%. As long as we can always put that forward, that's what sets us apart here. But it's important to keep things clear for consumers, so that they know what they're buying with full knowledge of the facts," said Benoit Poisson.
The Commission also wants the labelling of low-alcohol or alcohol-free wines to provide consumers with better information on the ingredients and methods of dealcoholisation.
European Union flags flap in the wind as pedestrians walk by the EU headquarters in Brussels, 20 September, 2023 European Union flags flap in the wind as pedestrians walk by the EU headquarters in Brussels, 20 September, 2023AP Photo Wine package "From our point of view, the alcohol-free wine market helps the wine industry, given that wine with alcohol has to be produced first. So it keeps the vineyards, the winegrowers, the cellars and all that part of the sector going. We're just going to be one more step at the end of the chain," Benoit Poisson told Euronews.
While some winegrowers may have taken a dim view of alcohol-free bottles in the past, many have since changed their minds.
"In a way, wine has become the winemaker's baby. And seeing it go through a process of de-alcoholisation is a bit difficult. But it was just the beginning," says Francis Aguilar, before adding that dealcoholised wine is now "better accepted."
In addition to promoting alcohol-free wine, the European Commission is recommending making it easier to grub up unwanted vines and remove grapes that are still green before harvest in order to prevent surpluses. It also wants to make replanting authorisations more flexible.
For the time being, the European wine industry is holding its breath, with its eye firmly fixed on the United States.
Donald Trump has threatened to overtax European wine by 200% if the European Commission retaliates with tariffs on bourbon.
Following pressure from Italy and France, the EU is expected to spare American whisky after all.
Grape juice?........
Their muslim masters demand it and the dhimmis comply.
They drank the Kool-aid, now they gotta drink the Kool-aid, at the Aloha Snackbar.
You think French people will give up their wine? Whether they live in France or Belgium?
So is it halal or haram? There will need tp be some sort of definitive ruling by a mullah based on the precise interpretation of the Classical Arabic.
Perhaps not all mullahs will agree and they will fight.
Losing bet
My wife and I are Catholic, and we usually drink non-alcoholic wine. We prefer the real thing, and we would frequently split a bottle with or after dinner, but as we’ve aged we really feel the aftereffects. The non-alcoholic drinks have improved a lot over the last few years, thankfully.
I do agree that it’s really pernicious that there is such a push for Marijuana though. Alcohol may do damage and lead to bad decision-making, but it’s not psychoactive.
There are a few non-alcoholic beers that are tolerable. The non-alcoholic wines I have had on the other hand were horrible. Bad grape juice. What a waste of money.
You should do half and half then. Much better than the non-alcoholic alone, with half the alcohol.
I hear ya. I tried some to scratch my wine itch during Lent. Maybe there is tolerable stuff out there, but the stuff I tried was terrible.
Back 30 years ago, when I was traveling a lot for business in California, I used to stock up on vintage Felton Empire non-alcoholic wines. Gave me something to drink when everyone else was wine drinking. I collected wine for my husband but, as a tee-totaler could only do sniffings, not tastings.
Anyone who thinks Muslims don't drink alcohol has never been to a hotel bar in Dubai or Bahrain.
They probably think Baptists and Mormons don't drink alcohol either.
One can hope.
I remember the old M.A.S.H. book series - novelized the main characters after they came home from Korea. The books were quite funny - there was one Muslim character that was convinced he could drink slivovitz since it was fermented plums, not grapes.
If he just couldn’t drink fermented grapes, why not beer, vodka, or tequila?
I've heard stories from friends deployed there with military. Backroom drinking and card playing out of public view of customers in front. Being ordered to stay on the base when the local muslim hotshot was looking for young boys to molest. It's a culture I choose to avoid.
My sister and brother-in-law took a vacation last year. When the arrived in the Netherlands, they were planning to visit a knitting shop. To start their day, they hit a small cafe for coffee and muffins. As they left the cafe, they were feeling a little "off". More than a little. The muffins contained marijuana. It made for an "interesting" shopping day.
nope... its all age related: many younger people know all alcohol is basically ingesting poison. I live in Europe, and can tell you its an age thing. In France where I holiday, older people still buy incredible amounts of wine, often full shopping carts as they sell it in the supermarkets. Younger people, not at all.
The younger generation in Europe has likely switched to marijuana which is legal in many EU countries.
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