Non-Alcoholic Wines: is there any point?

Non-alcoholic beverages are becoming increasingly popular as media reports of the negative side of drinking alcohol dominates headlines with binge drinking and health issue patterns begin to emerge. As a result, the beverage industries have responded with the advent of non-alcoholic beverages.

Alcohol has always had a place in society with people enjoying alcohol in various ways. Whether it is through the appreciation of a well-matured wine, celebrating with champagne or just a simple spirit mixer after work to unwind, alcohol is a popular and prominent aspect of our society that many people enjoy.

Non-alcoholic wines offer the implied sophistication, flavour and food compliments without the alcoholic side-effects and the expensive price tag. Most non-alcoholic wines range can be found for under $10 across Australia with both a strong foreign and domestic suppliers market.

Non-alcoholic wines are made in much the same fashion as typical wines in that they are aged and fermented in barrels. The difference in the process is that the alcohol is removed before bottling.

Alcohol-free wines are available in a large range of styles and flavours, including:

• Cabernet Sauvignon
• Brut Sparkling
• Chardonnay
• White Zinfandel
• Merlot
• Rouge
• Brut Cuvee
• Blanc
• Spumante
• Sparking Ciders

Of course, there are a great deal of people who do not drink for various reasons citing health awareness to diet to pregnancy to simply not enjoying the taste or effect. Legally speaking, non-alcoholic wines need to contain less than one-half of 1 percent of alcohol to be categorised as non-alcoholic, with most wines containing a tiny percentage of alcohol, though apparently no more than you would find in any fruit based drink.

As a result of this minimal amount of alcohol found within these wine products, they have become hugely popular with designated drivers, health conscious, non-drinkers, pregnant women, work functions (where you want to keep it together!), those on medication and recovering alcoholics. Although, it should be noted that due to the, granted minimal, amount of alcoholic content involved it is best to use your own discretion.

What's more, non-alcoholic wine is considered safe for diabetics although most non-alcoholic wine producers suggest that diabetics check with their doctor or nutritionist before consuming any new products.

Drinking non-alcoholic wines is becoming increasingly popular across the globe as more people begin to realise the long term effects of prolonged alcohol use and its negative side effects. Of course, that is not to say that alcoholic beverages are losing in popularity just that the market is big enough to support both alcoholic and non-alcoholic wines.