Upping the ante on low-alcohol wines

New Zealand winery Giesen - one of the pioneers in the low-alcohol wine market - is upping the ante with a new range.

Giesen says there is increased consumer interest in lighter and no-alcohol wines, prompting the launch of the its new formula Pure Light range, which has been reduced from from 9% to 6% alcohol by volume.

"Wine lovers can now enjoy their New Zealand sauvignon blanc or pinot gris with 50% less alcohol, without compromising on flavour." Giesen says in a statement.

It is claimed the new wines also have 45% less calories than full-strength wine.

Recent research shows 46% of Australian wine drinkers claim to be reducing their alcohol intake, says Wine Intelligence.

That figure increases to 56% for the 18-34 age group.

Giesen Group has invested in a $1 million in-house spinning cone (the technology used to remove alcohol).

With three three years' experience making the Giesen 0% range, the company says it now has the capacity to reduce the alcohol in Pure Light and not lose any of the flavours or aromas.

I will report back after sampling the wines.

“This is an exciting evolution for our Pure Light range, which we have been making for several years at 9% alcohol/volume," says chief winemaker, Duncan Shouler.

"We’re doing things differently, though. The wines are first crafted as classic New Zealand sauvignon blanc and pinot gris, going through the same process as we use for our full-strength wines.

"We then use our advanced spinning cone technology to delicately remove alcohol down to 6% alc/vol, leaving us with lower alcohol but maximum flavour.

"Many would fail to even know that the wine is lighter-in-alcohol given the aroma and palate are so similar."




Both wines are gluten free and vegan friendly and will be rolling out across Australia in Dan Murphy’s stores with an RRP of $16.99.

Canned wine proving a big hit in China

A Chinese canned low-alcohol wine brand is proving a huge success after just a year in the market.

WiMo, created in 2021, has raised millions in funding recently, Chinese wine industry website Vino-Joy reports.

WiMo “Pu Ke” (WiMo”葡刻”), which means “Wine Moment” in Chinese, is a wine brand targeting the younger generation of wine drinkers in China.

It aims to produce table wines that break through the dull image of wine as perceived by younger drinkers.

The brand's rise attracted attention from Kindergarten Green, an investment firm which is owned by China’s internet search giant Baidu Inc., for its "Series A" financing round.

The exact amount of funding was not disclosed but Chinese media reports said it was “in the millions”.

China had more than 115,000 low-alcohol-related businesses by September 2021, data from business inquiry platform Tianyancha showed.

“There has always been no shortage of strong players in the wine industry, but wine still has new product forms and gameplays that are worth exploring," WiMo’s investor Kindergarten Green said in a statement.

"We saw that the WiMo team is the leader of this field. They are also constantly exploring more possibilities in new product lines and business lines. We believe this team can continue to surprise us.”

WiMo has a marketing strategy directed towards health-conscious first-time wine consumers.

WiMo’s sparkling wines and “Winetails” series, two of its most popular ranges, come with fruity flavours and bubbly texture that are similar to juice and soft drinks, Vino-Joy reports.