The global wine industry faces significant challenges, including a decline in per capita consumption, particularly among young consumers who are reducing alcohol intake for health and wellness reasons. In response, wine producers increasingly focus on no- and low-alcohol (NOLO) wines. However, removing alcohol alters wine’s sensory qualities, requiring modifications to meet consumer expectations.
Â
Impact of sugar on consumer acceptance
Alcohol-free wines often have added sugar to offset the sensory changes from ethanol removal, which impacts the wine’s body, viscosity, and perception of tannins. This study explored young consumer preferences for fully de-alcoholised Chardonnay wines with various sugar levels (0, 5, 10, 20, and 40 g/L). Consumer acceptability was measured using a 9-point liking scale, focusing on identifying the preferred sweetness level and the influence of factors like consumption habits and background information on acceptance.
Key findings
The results showed that consumer liking increased with sugar content, with acceptability reached only at the highest sugar level of 40 g/L. Lower sugar concentrations failed to meet the liking threshold, suggesting that significant sweetness is needed to balance the altered taste profile in de-alcoholised wines. This level of sweetening is common in alcohol-free wines to mitigate the sourness perceived without ethanol.
Influence of consumption habits
While gender and prior knowledge about what they were tasting did not affect liking scores, regular soft drink consumers and occasional wine drinkers expressed greater acceptance of the sweetened wines, particularly those with 40 g/L of sugar. Conversely, non-wine consumers and those who seldom drink soft drinks rated these samples lower, suggesting that previous exposure to sweet beverages can increase acceptance of sweeter, alcohol-free wines.
Implications for winemakers
These findings highlight a tension in developing alcohol-free wines: achieving consumer acceptability without compromising health-oriented marketing. High sugar content is essential to counterbalance flavour changes from ethanol removal, yet this may conflict with health-conscious consumers’ concerns about sugar intake. For winemakers, targeting young, occasional wine drinkers who regularly consume sweet beverages may help drive initial acceptance in this market. Further research into other sensory enhancements may help create products that align with health and taste expectations.
Reference
Geffroy, O., Podworny, M., Brian, L., Gosset, M., Peter, M., & Cheriet, F. (2024). In a fully de-alcoholised Chardonnay wine, sugar is a key driver of liking for young consumers. OENO One, 58(4). https://doi.org/10.20870/oeno-one.2024.58.4.8290
Image: WineTourismZA
