Moderation is key in all aspects of life, and wine drinking is no exception. Our staff has been obsessed with researching, tasting and identifying wines that are lower in alcohol and sugar, but don't skimp on taste. Because reliable data on sugar content can be tricky to find, we don't have all of our low sugar wines (and sprits) identified, but we are unearthing new sources and double checking to highlight as many wines as we can. We now have a section in our website and store for low alcohol and low sugar wines and are adding to it daily as we learn and taste. We invite you to explore this area with us!

Low Alcohol

There are different definitions of low alcohol wine. We chose to use 12% ABV (alcohol by volume) as our cut off point for lower alcohol wines. Why? Most wines have ABV in the range of 13.5% - 14.5%. In our experience, a wine with a 12% ABV is experienced as lighter consumption. And contrary to what some may believe, low alcohol wines often do not compromise on taste. In fact, they often offer a more authentic representation of the grape and terroir. Winemakers achieve low alcohol levels through careful vineyard management and harvesting grapes when sugar levels are lower, or using new technologies like second generation vacuum distillation. This often results in wines that are crisp and refreshing, with higher acidity that contributes to a lively mouthfeel - though balance depends on grape variety and winemaking choices. The exception are alcohol removed wines, with ABVs of .05% (like Kombucha) which often do taste at least somewhat different from lower alcohol wines. We encourage you to explore our selection!

Low Sugar

We define a low sugar wine as one that has 3 grams of sugar per liter (g/L) or less, or less than .5 a gram of sugar per glass. A typical wine has 4 -12 g/L, and the average is 6.8 g/L. Red wines tend to have higher sugar content, while white and sparkling wines tend to be lower on the spectrum. Let's put this into perspective...there are 6 or 7 glasses of wine in a liter, so a glass of wine with 6g/L has about 1gram of sugar per glass, which is the equivalent of 1/4 a teaspoon of sugar. A cup of whole milk contains 12 grams of sugar (yes!).

Sugar in wine comes from the grapes themselves. During the fermentation process, yeast consumes the sugar and turns it into alcohol. However, not all sugar is converted, leaving some wines with a residual sweetness. Low sugar wines, or "dry" wines, are those in which most of the sugar has been fermented out, making them an ideal choice for those looking to reduce their sugar intake. Whether you prefer red, white or bubbly, there are certain types of wine that have lower levels of residual sugar. Low-sugar wines tend to be dry, but their alcohol content varies. In cooler climates, then ten to be lower in alcohol and in warmer climates, higher.

Choosing Your Wine

Low alcohol and low sugar wines are carving out their own niche in the wine market. And as always, our staff is constantly curating exceptional wines that stay abreast of current trends. Our Online Store is a hub of information and is organized by a myriad of categories, countries and styles. We have labeled all our Low Alcohol & Low Sugar Wines and you can search these tags to see our complete Low Alcohol & Low Sugar offerings