Beyond “Dry January” – What alcohol-free products really need to deliver

Dry January: from the reset button to a changed drinking culture

At the beginning of the year, many people hit the "reset" button. During "Dry January," after the festive holidays and the New Year's party hangover, almost half of those surveyed set themselves the goal of abstaining from alcohol in January 2024 as early as the end of 2023. Since then, the number of those who reduce their alcohol consumption at the beginning of the year has been steadily increasing.

But besides soft drinks and tea, which is popular at this time of year, those abstaining from alcohol are increasingly turning to non-alcoholic alternatives. Non-alcoholic beer and ready-to-drink cocktails have long been established on store shelves. Now, non-alcoholic wine is coming into focus, and with it, new sensory challenges for product developers.

No & Low instead of sobriety: What consumers are looking for

Those who want to drink less alcohol don't necessarily want to enjoy themselves less. But how can enjoyment be integrated into everyday life – without always having to consume alcohol? Things get particularly interesting on a tactile, emotional, and sensory level when it comes to wine – and especially red wine. This is where it's decided whether consumers truly experience a wine moment or whether they internally perceive the product as just grape juice.

We already provided an overview of the trend towards alcohol-free drinks and the "sober curious" movement in the article "Alcohol-Free Drinks – Enjoyment Without Compromise." In this article, we focus on a category that requires a particularly delicate touch: alcohol-free red wine.

What makes wine wine and why alcohol is so difficult to replace

When a beverage is marketed as "wine," consumers expect a harmonious overall package: color, bouquet, tannins, and mouthfeel must all be convincing. Especially when dining or in social situations, many desire a drink that feels "grown-up": glass, color, aroma, food pairing – everything as expected, just without the alcohol.

The crucial factor is the interplay of water, acid, sugar, phenols, tannins, and alcohol (ethanol). Alcohol performs several key functions:

• Aroma carrier: It transports volatile aroma compounds and influences how intensely we perceive them.
• Structural element: It gives the wine "weight" in the mouth, influencing viscosity and texture.
• Balancer: It combines acidity, sweetness and tannins into a harmonious overall impression.
• Sensory marker: It provides the typical "warmth" in the finish that many associate with wine.

If alcohol is subsequently removed, this balance is disrupted:

• Acidity becomes more pronounced.
• Tannins can have a harsh and astringent effect.
• The body appears slimmer, the texture thinner.

The central question is therefore: How can a wine remain a wine in terms of sensory perception if one of its most important structural elements is missing?

How dealcoholized wine is made

High-quality non-alcoholic wine begins much like any other wine: grapes are harvested, pressed, and fermented. This produces a classic wine – only then does the dealcoholization process take place. In practice, three main methods have become established:

1. Vacuum distillation

The wine is heated under vacuum, which lowers the boiling point of the alcohol. This allows alcohol to be separated at relatively low temperatures, while preserving delicate aromas.

2. Membrane process / Reverse osmosis

The wine is passed through special membranes. Water-alcohol mixtures are separated, aroma-carrying components are retained and can later be combined with water again, but then without or with greatly reduced alcohol.

3. Spinning Cone Column

In a column with rotating cones, aroma components are first extracted under controlled conditions. The alcohol is then removed before the aromas are added back in.

All these methods have one thing in common: they attempt to preserve the wine's aroma profile and structure as much as possible. However, this is not entirely "loss-free." Alcohol, as a carrier of structure and flavor, can be technically minimized, but not replaced without leaving a trace. This is precisely where aroma expertise comes into play.

Non-alcoholic red wine: the ultimate sensory challenge

Compared to white and rosé wines, red wine is particularly demanding:

• More tannin, more structure: Red wines thrive on tannins, which provide grip, length, and aging potential. Without alcohol, they can quickly become dry and unbalanced.
• More complex aromas: Dark berries, cherry, plum, spice and wood aromas – all of this must come together to form a harmonious picture after dealcoholization.
• High expectations: Red wine is closely linked to certain rituals – meals, evenings by the fire, fine dining. The tolerance threshold for "lack of wine character" is low.

Typical challenges with non-alcoholic red wine:

• flat body
• pronounced, sometimes sharp acidity
• drying, green tannins
• little depth in the nose and palate

Flavor manufacturers like Hertz & Selck can:

• Sharpen fruit profiles: Clearly defined cherry, berry or plum notes instead of diffuse fruitiness.
• Add spice and wood in a fine dose: Vanilla, cocoa, cedarwood, smoke – used so subtly that they support the style of the wine, not overpower it.
• Adjust mouthfeel: Components that provide more body and integrate acidity/tannins more harmoniously, without making the wine seem sweet or "juicy".

In cooperation with wineries and cellars, this means:

1. Define target style – for example, based on an existing red wine, for which a non-alcoholic counterpart is to be developed.
2. Assess dealcoholization – sensory analysis to determine which properties are lost or shift.
3. Prototyping & Fine-tuning – Development and combination of aroma profiles and mouthfeel components, tested in panels with sensory experts and – depending on the project – also with consumers.

The result should not be a 1:1 replacement for a vintage wine, but an independent product: clearly recognizable as a red wine, with a harmonious structure and suitable for all situations in which conscious, low-alcohol enjoyment is required.