Dry July becomes more fun

Going dry in July is for anyone

Yearly, the interest in reducing alcohol consumption continues to grow, and with it the number of people looking for an alternative to alcoholic drinks.

The No-alcohol or Low-alcohol (NOLO) movement is gaining traction with phenomenal growth over the last 12 months due to strong consumer demand for alternative beverage options.

Pioneers in the alcohol-removed wine space, Giesen Group, having launched the first New Zealand 0% Sauvignon Blanc in 2020 responded to the demand. It has now expanded to include a Rosé, Pinot Gris, Riesling and Merlot.

Consumers are loving the range, with several releases selling out due to the demand and the quality of these New Zealand wines being broadly recognised.

Interestingly, it's younger consumers leading the charge. Wine Intelligence Research shows that Australians have a higher intent to purchase low and no alcohol products compared to the UK, USA and Canada. Young consumers are also more likely to purchase a non-alcoholic wine with 3 out of 10 consumers aged between 18-34 basing their purchase on health and wellbeing.

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Here's something interesting...

Not all alcohol-removed wines are made equal.

For Giesen, it’s all in the spin. The company has invested $2 million in its own specialised spinning-cone distillation technology, the first and only to do so in New Zealand.

This technology, also used by perfume and coffee producers, allows the wine to be made on site by a specialist winemaking team with much more control over the quality. The wines are made in the same way as other premium Giesen wines, with the alcohol then gently removed at low temperatures (important particularly for white wine).

The wine is then bottled soon after, at the bottling site 100m from the winery to retain the flavours and quality of the wine.

As if that is not enough, an added benefit is the Giesen 0% wines are also 70-80% lower in calories than standard 12.5% alcohol ABV wines, making them a great alternative for the health-conscious consumer.

Giesen Group was recently awarded the trophy for Best Winemaker at the inaugural 2022 WinePilot Zero Alcohol Wine Show. The wines also won commendation at the prestigious 2022 International Wine Challenge and International Wine & Spirit Competition in London.

For Giesen, there’s an unheralded commitment to quality, a determination to take the category seriously based on feedback from wine lovers. Giesen Group Chief Winemaker Duncan Shouler, currently studying for the prestigious Master of Wine award, and his winemaking team are leaving no stone unturned to tweak and refine the 0% range of wines after two vintages of learnings.

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