Episode 63 of The Best 5 Minute Wine Podcast dives into the rising trend of low alcohol wines, specifically those with an ABV under 10%. Forrest Kelly and guest Sour Grapes discuss how this movement aligns with the sober curious lifestyle and the desire for health-conscious drinking among younger consumers. With traditional wines averaging 12-15% ABV, the shift towards lower alcohol options raises questions about quality and enjoyment.
Discover the ins and outs of low ABV wines, including methods like early harvesting and spinning cone technology that help achieve lower alcohol levels. Sour Grapes shares personal experiences with low ABV wines, including a surprising encounter with a 6% German Riesling. The episode wraps up with tips on what to look for when searching for low alcohol options and which labels to avoid for maintaining quality. Tune in for a candid discussion on how to navigate this new wave of wine drinking.
00:00
Welcome, welcome to the best five minute wine podcast with Forrest Kelly.
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There's a growing movement in wine right now.
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What is that movement?
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Low alcohol, low ABV wines are showing up everywhere and people are actually drinking
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People are also eating cauliflower as pizza.
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That doesn't mean we celebrate it.
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What is low ABV wine?
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ABV stands for alcohol by volume.
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Traditional wine runs 12 to 15%.
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Low ABV wines come in under 10%, sometimes as low as five to 6%.
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They achieve this through early harvest, cool climate farming, and sometimes even using
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spinning cone technology that removes alcohol after fermentation.
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Spinning cone technology.
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They built a machine, a machine to suck the soul out of wine.
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I have a spinning cone.
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It's called my feelings and I use it every harvest.
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Why is it trending?
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While the sober curious movement is reshaping how people drink, younger consumers want their
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ritual of wine without the next morning consequences.
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Health conscious drinking is mainstream now, not a niche.
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Is it actually any good?
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So sour grapes, honest answer.
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Can low ABV wine actually be good?
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I will admit the young people are onto something.
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Not because the wine is good, but because they want to drink at brunch and function
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This is called survival.
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In Sicily, we call it Tuesday.
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I tasted one last spring, a German Riesling, 6%.
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I expected dishwater.
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What I got was acceptable.
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I stared at the vineyard for 40 minutes.
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Bubbly could tell something was wrong.
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Bubbly saw me standing motionless, pupils dilated, contemplating the meaning of acceptable.
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That's when the side eye kicked in hard.
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So if you're looking for low ABV wines, look for Moselle Rieslings from Germany, naturally
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low, high in acid and food friendly.
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Avoid anything that has the label de-alcoholized.
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That's where quality drops sharply.
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If you must drink less alcohol, and apparently many of you must, at least do it with dignity.
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A good Moselle Riesling, not a canned spa water with grape ambitions.
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This is sour grapes.
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Bubbly is still upset about the spinning cone.
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Thank you for listening.
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Tell your friends and pets.
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Please like and follow.
02:57
Please like and follow.
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