Lower ABV Vino

Looking for a wine that packs less of a punch?

There has been a lot of recent reporting about the perils of consuming too much alcohol and its potential impact on overall health and wellness.  While moderation is one way to create healthier habits, choosing a beverage lower in alcohol may be another useful strategy.

So, just seek out wines wither a lower ABV.  Right?

Not so fast.  Even though the global wine market has shifted from full-bodied, higher ABV wines (14% and above) to lower abv wines (9-11.5%) to meet consumer demands and trends, global warming has created real challenges for winemakers around the world.

There was a time when if you scanned the shelves for Spanish wines, you’d be hard-pressed to find bottles with a lower alcohol content than 14.5%.  Many Spanish wines have a propensity for higher alcohol levels due to a combination of factors.

The hot, sunny climate in many Spanish wine regions enables grapes to ripen fully, developing a high sugar content.  This sugar then converts to higher alcohol levels during fermentation.  Many native Spanish grape varieties such as Tempranillo, Garnacha, Monastrell, and Albariño are naturally high in sugar when they fully ripen.  In addition, low rainfall and dry conditions stress vines which contribute to more concentrated fruit.

Some traditional Spanish vineyard practices also play a role in more robust wines. Allowing the grapes to hang longer on the vine before harvest increases sugar concentration which leads to richer, bolder wines. This style coincided with the Spanish consumer and global market demands, especially in the era of Parkerized wines (avg. ABV 14-15%). 

Global warming has only exacerbated the issue.  Hotter growing seasons, drought and water stressed vines are just some of the major obstacles for keeping alcohol content down.  In order to produce wines that are balanced and fresh, Spanish winemakers are adapting to climate change with a mix of old-fashioned wine knowledge, technology, and strategic vineyard placement. 

Planting vineyards at higher altitudes makes for cooler nights, slower grape ripening, and better acidity.  Regions such as Priorat, Sierra de Gredos, Sierra Cantabria (Rioja), and Aragon are great examples for combatting hotter and drier conditions.  

Winemakers are focusing on a recuperation of native varieties which adapt well to drought and heat and contribute to biodiversity, improving the health of the vineyard.  Regenerative viticulture (organic and biodynamic farming practices) inclusive of strategically earlier harvests help to preserve acidity and moderate sugar content.  

In the cellar, techniques such as reverse osmosis, gentler extractions, and cooler fermentations, and aging in neutral oak, amphorae, and concrete tanks help contribute to preserving freshness.

Even as global warming has created additional challenges for Spanish winemakers to produce wines with a lower ABV, many are tackling the issue by adapting to new microclimates, preserving freshness over power, and utilizing traditional methods with innovative insight.  Winemakers are rapidly adapting, but it’s a growing challenge. In this respect, natural winemakers have been leading the charge which is why the majority of their wines have ABVs that fall between 9 and 11.5 percent.  The best of these wines hit the mark when they offer the benefits of reduced alcohol without sacrificing quality or taste, all while expressing terruño (people, place, grape).

This summer you can reach for a bottle with a little less kick.  

Crisp, refreshing, full of character, and better for your overall wellness too.

Drink Spain