The low and no alcohol trend has become increasingly popular in recent months, with consumers focusing on a healthy lifestyle that often includes cutting out or cutting back on alcohol or looking for options with lower calories. With this, more and more wineries are offering these types of selections or options with all alcohol removed. While we appreciate this trend, we still enjoy our wines at full strength. However, if you are a part of this growing trend, cutting back on alcohol during the week or completely, these five wines will give you the wine flavor without the bite.

While not a new wine, Champagne and traditional method sparkling wine remains one of the lower calorie wines that you can enjoy, and those that are a Brut Nature or crafted with low or no dosage (sugars) that are of the driest style are the best if looking for a low cal option. Our favorite in this style is Domaine Carneros Ultra Brut Sparkling Wine. I have been in love since trying the crisp, clean, lively, bubbly from Napa’s Carneros region. The traditional method sparkler is produced from sustainably grown estate-grown Chardonnay and Pinot Noir fruit. It includes a 0.5% dosage, keeping the natural fruit-forward flavors of sun-ripened California fruit at the forefront, including ripe melon, orchard fruits, and crisp apples. These flavors are complimented by notes of marzipan, biscuit dough, and crushed stone minerality that keep you returning for sip after sip. Enjoy it as an aperitif or with fresh ceviche.

It is nice when you can find a low-calorie, low-alcohol option that is also crafted using organically grown grapes. Argentina’s Lo Ca Malbec from Domaine Bousquet is just that. With a low alcohol of only 9.5% and 79 calories per serving, the Uco Valley-grown, USDA Certified Organic wine is lively and fresh, with a nice amount of acidity and juicy fresh fruit flavors of ripe cherry, plum, and berry. Of course, the wine is not as concentrated or complex as a wine from fully matured fruit that ages in oak for some time, however it is an approachable, easy drinking red wine with balance, perfect for enjoying on warm evenings with anything from grilled meats and poultry, to simply on its own.

 

New from Kendall Jackson, its Low Calorie Sauvignon Blanc is the latest addition to the winery’s portfolio, joining the previously released Low Calorie Chardonnay. The wine has a low 85 calories per serving and 9% alcohol. It is vegan, gluten-free, and packaged in a lighter weight glass bottle to help reduce the wine’s carbon footprint. The California appellation wine is from fruit grown sustainably, leaning into the winery’s focus on producing products that are good for consumers and the environment, and offers classic Sauvignon Blanc flavors of ripe citrus, tropical guava, wild herbs, and a mineral note that makes it a nice pairing with white fish or fresh grilled shrimp.

French Bloom is the wine for you if you love bubbles but want to enjoy them sans the alcohol. While there are many sparkling grape juices on the market, French Bloom is actually sparkling wine made from dealcoholized grapes that taste like authentic sparkling wine, not an overly sweet glass of juice. Crafted in France from organic Chardonnay and Pinot Noir fruit (just like Champagne), the sparkler is crisp, light, and luxurious, layered with notes of green apple, pear, and ripe citrus. While there are other zero-alcohol options available, few are quite as refined as the options from French Bloom.

For an approachable and easy option, Bread and Butter Sliced Chardonnay slices the calories to a mear 86 per 5-ounce serving and only 9% alcohol. The wine is fresh and balanced, with bright notes of golden citrus, orchard fruit, and a touch of crushed stone. While the wine is fresh and approachable, it has more balance than some lower alcohol offerings, delivering fruit with freshness that is easily enjoyed on its own or with anything from roasted chicken and vegetables to fresh pasta or light fish dishes.