At the beginning of July, we joined an online session where the guest speaker was İrem Eren. Eren currently lives in Spain and is considered one of the most knowledgeable experts in the field of dealcoholized wines. It was also her first time delivering a presentation on this topic in her native language. Seeing someone from our own community in such a significant position is a great source of pride for all of us, and we sincerely wish her continued success.

WHAT DID THE PRESENTATION COVER?

Eren structured her talk around five key topics, and we followed that roadmap throughout the session:

• A Contemporary Overview of the Wine Industry
• Legal Regulations and Definitions
• Markets and Consumer Behaviour
• Production Methods and Technologies
• Opportunities

A CONTEMPORARY OVERVIEW OF THE WINE INDUSTRY

Eren opened her presentation with a striking slide showing three non-alcoholic products side by side: beer, gin, and wine. This image, in itself, signalled that we’re entering a whole new era in beverage consumption. She highlighted how rising temperatures are leading to increased sugar levels in grapes, which in turn naturally raises the alcohol levels in wine.

While the specifics vary from country to country, she pointed out that taxes imposed based on alcohol content directly influence retail prices. As a result, reducing alcohol levels by even a few degrees has become an increasingly common trend in the industry.

One particularly revealing graph showed major wine-producing regions and how average alcohol content rose from 13% during 1990-1999 to 14.5% in 2010-2019, clearly illustrating the impact of climate change on both sugar levels and alcohol content in wine. 

Another key point was the shift in consumer behaviour. Campaigns like Dry January and trends such as Zebra Stripes reflect a growing movement towards reduced alcohol consumption for various personal or health reasons. Eren also underlined the inevitable influence of the World Health Organization’s official statements that alcohol, regardless of quantity, is harmful to health and increases cancer risks.

Between 2008 and 2023, global wine consumption dropped by 7%, yet there has been a noticeable rise in the consumption of low- and no-alcohol (No&Lo) wines. She shared that the non-alcoholic wine market, valued at $11 billion in 2022, is expected to surpass $23 billion by 2032.

Eren made a critical observation at this point: although 76% of consumers still drink alcohol, the No&Lo category should not simply be seen as a way to retain existing wine drinkers. Instead, it should be viewed as an opportunity to attract people who currently don’t drink wine but do consume non-alcoholic beer, sodas, or other soft drinks.

LEGAL REGULATIONS AND DEFINITIONS

Eren emphasized the significant confusion arising from the stark differences in regulations across countries. Each nation defines “non-alcoholic wine” differently. For instance, some countries tolerate only up to 0.1% alcohol, while Japan allows up to 1%—a striking contrast. 

She shared news that the European Union, through a proposal submitted on June 19, has begun moving towards a unified standard for non-alcoholic products within the Union. It’s expected that this will be finalized and implemented next year. Interestingly, EU lawmakers explicitly stated that in a time when wine consumption is declining, low- and no-alcohol products could help revive the sector. This perspective is quite different from the one in our country.

Later in the session, Ms. Hürriyet, founder of Lermonos Wines, shared insights from her discussions with Turkey’s Tobacco and Alcohol Market Regulatory Authority (TAPDK). TAPDK reportedly advised that any initiatives regarding the non-alcoholic wine category should be brought to them by a professional organization, such as the Wine Producers Association. Currently, Turkey’s food regulations lack specific definitions for non-alcoholic wines, which complicates both production and imports.

According to OIV (International Organisation of Vine and Wine) definitions, beverages fermented from grapes and containing at least 8.5% alcohol are classified as wine. For dealcoholized wines, the alcohol content must be 0.5% or lower. Wines with alcohol content between 0.5% and 8.5% are classified as “Partially Dealcoholized.”

MARKETS AND CONSUMER BEHAVIOUR

Germany leads the top ten countries in the No&Lo category by a significant margin, followed by Spain, the United States, and Japan. The United Kingdom and France are closely matched in fifth and sixth place, while Brazil, Australia, South Africa, and Canada also make the list. Among different wine types, non-alcoholic sparkling wines are particularly prominent. 

Eren drew special attention to Australia. When China, its biggest export market, halted wine imports, Australia responded by building three major facilities for dealcoholization. This move significantly impacted both production and local consumption dynamics. 

Consumers in the No&Lo segment are divided into four distinct groups, recognized globally:

• Abstainer (17%) → Those who never consume alcohol 
• Blender (20%) → Those who balance alcoholic and non-alcoholic consumption
• Trailer (21%) → Those open to trying alcohol occasionally
• Substituer (43%) → Those who differentiate between consuming alcohol with meals and abstaining at other times

Beyond alcohol, other concerns are increasingly shaping consumer choices. Issues like sugar content, calories, fats, and additives are coming under growing scrutiny. An interesting aside involved cannabis—once illegal, now legal in some places. Eren noted a rising curiosity among consumers who want alternatives that might “make them feel good” without involving alcohol.

Eren also highlighted how the price range for products in this category has expanded dramatically. Whereas in the past, the market was dominated by low-priced options, now premium products are emerging. Bottles priced as high as $80 signal this transformation.

Unlike beer and gin producers, who often release non-alcoholic versions under the same brand names, wine producers tend to create differentiated products specifically for the No&Lo segment. Eren pointed out that beer and gin achieve an almost indistinguishable taste profile between alcoholic and non-alcoholic versions. Interestingly, in the case of gin, no dealcoholization process is involved; instead, non-alcoholic versions are crafted through alternative production methods. For beer, carbonation provides a significant advantage in preserving taste.

Gin retains its excellent aromatic presence on the nose, but when tasted neat, it can feel unexpectedly flat. However, since gin is mainly consumed in cocktails, this doesn’t pose much of an issue. One major technical challenge with dealcoholized wine is that about 15% of its volume is lost during the process, negatively impacting the wine’s body and texture.

PRODUCTION METHODS AND TECHNOLOGIES

Eren described three main dealcoholization techniques, all requiring fully ripened grapes and stable wine as starting points. SCC, used in Australia, and GoLo, originating from South Africa, both operate on vacuum-based distillation and can process between 600 to 2,200 litres per hour. During production, alcohol collects in one tank, the alcohol-free wine in another, and the aroma compounds in a third. The third method is a German technology known as Solos, which differs by using a specialised filtration system to separate aromas from the wine. This technology is relatively new, and Eren mentioned that she expects to learn more about it in the coming months.

FINAL REMARKS AND OPPORTUNITIES

The No&Lo segment is clearly expanding its market share. Yet, it’s equally true that many devoted wine lovers remain sceptical about non-alcoholic wines. As a relatively young category, the No&Lo segment doesn’t yet have decades of accumulated knowledge behind it. However, this will inevitably change in the coming years. For instance, while the current recommendation for non-alcoholic wines is a maximum of five years of bottle aging, this guideline may evolve as understanding grows. Interestingly, natural cork, a crucial element in the aging process of traditional wines, is not recommended for non-alcoholic wines because micro-oxygenation can cause rapid deterioration.

Nonetheless, this is not merely a passing trend. Non-alcoholic wine undoubtedly serves the needs of certain consumers—whether for health reasons, pregnancy, or the necessity of driving. Simultaneously, it offers producers a new avenue to counteract growing anti-alcohol lobbying efforts.

In short, the non-alcoholic wine sector is rapidly expanding, driven both by health considerations and market potential. Technological advancements continue to support this growth, even though consumer perceptions still show some resistance. Despite these challenges, this segment is here to stay and holds significant promise for the future.

Hearing the voice of a professional from our own country in such a specialised field was truly inspiring for all of us. Regardless of the technical complexities involved, we were all deeply pleased to have İrem Eren as our guide in this domain. We will undoubtedly return to the subject of non-alcoholic wine from time to time—and now, at least, we know exactly who to ask.