No/Low Alcohol Wines: How to Verify Quality and Compliance After Dealcoholisation
Producing a No/Low Alcohol wine does not simply mean reducing its ethanol content. The process can alter the balance of the matrix, product stability and sensory profile, making targeted control necessary from the starting wine through to bottling.
This topic is explored in “No/Low Alcohol Wines: The New Face of the Wine Market”, an article by Bruno Silverio, Technical Manager at Centro Analisi CAIM, published in the latest issue of T-Magazine by Tentamus Italia. The article examines the development of this category and the role of testing in managing both the production process and the finished product.
A New Category for the Wine Market
No/Low Alcohol wines respond to increasingly diverse consumption habits. Their development, however, requires a dedicated approach: the finished product must comply with the declared category, maintain suitable quality characteristics and meet consumer expectations.
Regulation (EU) 2026/471 introduced harmonised terminology to distinguish between alcohol-free products, wines bearing the “0.0%” claim and reduced-alcohol wines.
In particular:
- for the “alcohol-free” designation, the actual alcoholic strength by volume must not exceed 0.5% vol.;
- for the “0.0%” claim, the value must not exceed 0.05% vol.;
- reduced-alcohol products must have an actual alcoholic strength above 0.5% vol. and at least 30% lower than the minimum limit established for the original wine category.
Verifying the actual alcoholic strength by volume is therefore essential to classify the product correctly and use the appropriate designation.
What Can Change During Dealcoholisation?
The authorised technologies include partial vacuum evaporation, reverse osmosis, pervaporation and traditional distillation. Their impact varies depending on the starting matrix and the required degree of dealcoholisation.
Removing ethanol can affect:
- the aromatic and sensory profile;
- acidity and pH;
- sugar concentration;
- dry extract;
- the balance and stability of the wine;
- the relative concentration of non-volatile compounds.
Some processes may result in a relative concentration of pesticide residues or inorganic contaminants already present in the wine. The extent of this effect depends on the technology used, the initial composition and the degree of dealcoholisation.
Why Compare the Wine Before and After the Process?
An analytical comparison between the starting wine and the dealcoholised product makes it possible to assess the actual effects of the process and identify any significant changes.
Testing can be organised into three stages:
- Characterisation of the starting wine, to establish its initial composition.
- Process monitoring, to assess changes in the main parameters.
- Finished-product verification, to confirm its category, quality, stability and compliance.
This approach makes it possible to evaluate not only the alcohol content, but also the preservation of the wine’s quality characteristics and any potential concentration of residues or contaminants.
Which Analyses Should Be Included?
Depending on the product and the process, the analytical plan may include:
- actual alcoholic strength by volume;
- sugars;
- total and volatile acidity;
- pH;
- free and total sulphur dioxide;
- dry extract;
- organic acids;
- pesticide residues;
- heavy metals, including copper and lead;
- nutritional parameters;
- organoleptic analysis;
- stability tests.
The parameters should be selected on a case-by-case basis, considering the technology used, the starting matrix, target market and labelling requirements.
Wine Analyses at Centro Analisi CAIM
Through its wine analysis services, Centro Analisi CAIM supports wine producers throughout the supply chain, from grapes and musts to wine and the finished product.
The laboratory performs physical and chemical characterisation, organoleptic analysis, pesticide residue and heavy metal testing, stability checks and analyses supporting compliance assessment and export requirements.