In its recently introduced wine initiative, the EU executive has suggested three new categories aimed at standardizing vocabulary among member countries and bolstering the expanding market for alcohol-free wines.

This comprehensive plan offers specific actions aimed at assisting the industry in handling its production capabilities, adjusting to shifting customer tastes, and capitalizing on emerging market prospects.

The suggested labels characterize ‘alcohol-free’ products as wines having an alcohol concentration of up to 0.5% by volume, whereas ‘0.0%’ is designated for wines with an alcohol level not surpassing 0.05%.

The label ‘alcohol-light’ will be used for wines that have an alcohol content greater than 0.5%, yet still fall at least 30% below the minimum strength threshold of their category prior to the removal of alcohol.

A ‘rebranding’ operation

Earlier, European Union laws employed the technical phrases “fully and partially de-alcoholized” wines, which were considered not very appealing to consumers.

“The aim is to substitute them with names that are more appealing and better known to customers,” clarified an official from the Commission.

The technique of dealcoholization — which eliminates alcohol from wine — has advanced considerably and can now result in wines with reduced alcohol content (between 10-12% ABV) down to nearly non-alcoholic versions.

The three newly introduced terms, despite their widespread usage, are presently governed by varying regulations across different member states. The objective of these new guidelines is to standardize wine labeling uniformly throughout the European Union.

0.0% Glühwein at Christmas

Although the beer market has effectively launched non-alcoholic options, the wine sector has lagged behind in innovation.

In 2023, the worldwide NoLo drink sector has surged to around $13 billion, marking a 62% growth from 2018. This initiative seeks to enhance the competitiveness of the European Union’s wine industry within a progressively more health-focused marketplace.

In recent years, there has been an increasing consumer preference for beverages with lower alcohol content derived from grapes. The new proposal also opens up possibilities for the dealcoholization of spiced wines like glühwein or mulled wine, something that was not allowed before.

This modification will enable these special items to be promoted using the same terminology as regular wine products that have comparable alcohol levels.

A bundle to assist this industry

The wine package comprises revisions to several European Union regulations and comes as a result of a 2023 consultation initiated following requests from member states for prompt measures to rejuvenate the wine industry.

The urge to develop fresh regulations for the expanding market of no- and low-alcohol (NoLo) wine items
arose from this discussion forum
.

In addition to Beyond NoLo wine categories, the package offers greater versatility in vineyard cultivation, strategies to avoid excess wine production, stricter guidelines for advertising, improved assistance for adapting to climate changes, standardized labeling rules, and initiatives to boost wine-related travel.

“I firmly believe that our proposals will contribute to stabilizing the market and allow producers to capitalize on new opportunities as well as address shifting consumer preferences,” stated EU Agriculture Commissioner Christophe Hansen in a release.

It is anticipated that Hansen will unveil the package to Members of the European Parliament within the Agriculture Committee of the European Parliament sometime in early April and advocate for swift legislative endorsement of these measures.