NON-ALCOHOLIC Sparkling Wine:
more customer acceptance?

If there is one country that stands for sparkling wine consumption, then it is without doubt Germany. No other nation has such a high consumption of sparkling wine. In fact, Germans consume 310 million liters of sparkling wine, champagne, prosecco and the like every year, according to the Swiss information center Wein InfoVin. France and Russia share second place with 210 million liters each. Only then comes the United States in fourth place with 170 million liters.

We simply have to mention these figures to explain why non-alcoholic sparkling wine is widely accepted by consumers, especially in Germany. According to the German Wine Institute (DWI), non-alcoholic sparkling wines have a market share of five percent. Just for comparison: the market share of non-alcoholic wines in Germany is still less than one percent. This rather drastic difference is mainly due to the fact that 53 percent of Germans know that there are non-alcoholic sparkling wines. The figure is 15 percent for non-alcoholic white wine, twelve percent for non-alcoholic red wine and only nine percent for de-alcoholized rosé wines. So sparkling wine is also doing quite well as an alcohol-free alternative.

Bright prospects for non-alcoholic wines and sparkling wines

However, non-alcoholic sparkling wines are not only worthwhile for German retailers. After all, the data research company International Wine and Spirits Record (IWSR) forecasts growth of four percent for non-alcoholic wines and sparkling wines by 2027. Worldwide, mind you. This is the average growth, which of course varies from country to country. For example, the IWSR predicts growth of just two percent in Germany, while it forecasts four percent for Japan.

This is hardly surprising, as non-alcoholic sparkling wines in particular already have it pretty easy in Germany. This is not least due to the national sparkling wine production. Large commercial sparkling wine producers offer a wide range of non-alcoholic sparkling wines, as do small sparkling wine producers.

How non-alcoholic sparkling wine is made

The fact that the non-alcoholic version of German sparkling wine in particular shines is actually a logical consequence when you look at the production of non-alcoholic sparkling wines. After all, it is not the finished sparkling wine that is de-alcoholized, but the base wines used to make the sparkling wine. Three different methods are now used for this.

For example, there is reverse osmosis, in which a technical process separates the alcohol from the wine. This method is very complex and expensive. In vacuum evaporation, on the other hand, the winemaker creates a vacuum in the tank and then heats the base wine to 30 to 35 °C. The vacuum causes the alcohol to volatilize at these low temperatures. The vacuum causes the alcohol to evaporate even at these low temperatures. This process preserves the aromas and is particularly common in dealcoholization. Spinning cone technology is now also available, a process that works on the same principle as vacuum evaporation, but is even gentler on the aromas so that they are almost completely preserved.

Last production step for non-alcoholic sparkling wine

And where is the carbon dioxide now? After all, this is essential for a sparkling wine. This is added after the dealcoholization process. A second fermentation, as is usual for sparkling wines, is generally omitted. This is because sugar is converted back into alcohol during this process. The only difference is that the carbon dioxide is not allowed to escape. The finished sparkling wine would then have to be dealcoholized again. This in turn would result in fewer aromas. And the fine perlage would also suffer. To achieve more flavor and fine bubbles, it is therefore better to simply add the carbon dioxide.

Which brings us to the real sticking point. Sparkling wines for which traditional bottle fermentation is mandatory cannot be offered in a non-alcoholic version. And these are not just a few products. Champagne, Crémant, German Winzersekt, Cava, Méthode Cap Classique, English Sparkling will not be available as alcohol-free sparkling wines. To name just a few examples.

High-quality enjoyment with non-alcoholic sparkling wine

For the specialist wine trade, this can certainly lead to problems in certain situations. Namely, whenever customers demand a high-quality sparkling wine in an alcohol-free version. For example, a champagne, crémant or German sparkling wine. In such cases, the wine consultants have to do a great deal of educational work, which can quickly become time-consuming.

Fortunately, there is now a remedy for this. More and more non-alcoholic sparkling wines are coming with a very high-quality appearance. In other words, the bottle, label and even the name suggest quality in itself. This makes it easier to communicate to consumers that a non-alcoholic sparkling wine is also a worthy accompaniment for Christmas, New Year's Eve, a wedding or a milestone birthday.

Non-alcoholic sparkling wine is on the rise

Because let's not kid ourselves: The quality of non-alcoholic sparkling wine has actually become much better thanks to improved production processes. The label is still not allowed to say “non-alcoholic sparkling wine”, as it is legally a “sparkling beverage made from dealcoholized wine” and must be described as such. But that does not change the fact that a lot has happened with non-alcoholic variants in recent years.

For example, the residual sugar content of the majority of non-alcoholic sparkling wines has fallen considerably. And the aromas are now also much better preserved. What's more, the perlage nowadays is also fine and no longer clunky. The fact that the texture and finish are not on a par with the alcoholic version is of little or no consequence thanks to the carbon dioxide. It is only the autolysis notes of the second bottle fermentation that customers have to do without. However, if wine merchants focus on another USP, this can also be concealed very well. Quite apart from the fact that easily accessible, fruity, fresh sparkling wines are now in vogue anyway. This is exactly what makes non-alcoholic sparkling wines even more attractive as an alternative.