Easy-to-drink, easy-to-make, low alcohol wine!
Earth’s axial tilt is back in public favour for oenophiles of the northern hemisphere. For those of us in beautiful British Columbia, that means patios are being swept, wineries will soon be opening their doors, and vineyard visits are tantalizingly close.
It won’t be long before we get to taste the fruits of the labour of our fantastic BC wine producers, once more on their turf. And once you’re finally there - on the terrace, in the tasting room, or picnicking on the lawn - what do you want in your glass?
For complementing spring vibes or as an antidote to summer heat, something light, fresh and chilled is needed. Bright acidity and maybe a trace of sugar help get the palate ready to rip. But, the alcohol can’t be too high or you’re asleep by noon. What kind of wine can offer all of that? Luckily for us, more and more producers are responding to our search for easy-to-drink, easy-to-make, no-fuss fizz. Wines of this style are increasing in popularity and their broad appeal is undeniable, perhaps not least because of their lower alcohol content. Certainly for younger consumers this is an important point as we see with movements like Low-and-No.
Let me introduce a few wine alternatives that fit the bill here - all best served well chilled.
Pet Nats (from Pétillant Naturel) are made using a centuries-old winemaking method that pre-dates Champagne. You literally just make wine, and bottle it (nowadays with a crown cap) before fermentation is complete - that’s it. No fining, filtration, or adjustments. This is funky stuff definitely in the realm of ‘natural wine,’ and typically fermentation is done with ambient, indigenous yeasts. Any grape variety or blends can be used, allowing for creative and pragmatic winemaking. Done well, pet nats can be just as expressive of their producer and region as standard wines. At the very least, they are fun and approachable. Expect vibrant, refreshing, hazy, fizzy things. These wines are typically still in the range of 11-13% alcohol, but do offer everything else you’d want when enjoying food and drink al fresco. Pet nats may not be anything new or innovative, but they are becoming very fashionable. I do hope to see more of them in BC!
Piquette - Same but different is piquette. Same because the method is ancient and the wines are without pretense. Different because rather than fresh grapes, piquettes use the winemaking leftovers of other wines. In its most basic form, water is added to the pomace (the remaining grape matter after pressing) and fermentation kicks off naturally. Occasionally a little wine or sugar may be added to keep pH low or to generate more carbonation, but the end result is a low-alcohol, effervescent, refreshing pick-me-up. Again wild yeasts are employed, while fining and filtration are usually not.
Weinschorle - Last but not least, there’s a low-alcohol frizzante alternative that could not be more simple. It’s a staple in Germany and other areas where white wine dominates. You can even make it yourself at home or literally anywhere. Weinschorle (‘vine shore-luh’) is quite possibly the most refreshing beverage on the planet, and all it takes is your wine of choice and sparkling water. Mixed half and half, typically filling a tall tumbler glass, its ubiquitous adoration overseas will immediately make sense. The larger volume allows it to stay cold longer - you’ve probably noticed how quickly a 5oz glass of chilled wine can warm up in an Okanagan heat wave. And schorle also has a greater hydrating effect while still providing a moderate serving of wine. The flavour obviously gets diluted, but not as much as you might expect and different notes can reveal themselves. Besides, the thirst-quenching capacity more than compensates. Which wines make the best weinschorle? Riesling is classic and popular for a reason (rosé is a close second), but other whites like a crisp BC Pinot Gris or juicy Ehrenfelser are delicious too. Quality is key - a mediocre wine, or something you don’t enjoy, won’t get better as a schorle. Red wine would not be an illegal maneuver, but choose something lighter with soft tannins. Wine time is playtime after all, so please experiment if you feel so inclined! As for the water, any unflavoured sparkling will do - the more carbonation the better.
Featured low alcohol wines:
Bartier Bros. piquettes are canned which perfectly suits their take-me-anywhere, ready-to-party nature. Both the white and rosé are fully tart and crisp with no detectable sugar, are filtered and carbonated, and have a satisfyingly rustic concentration of grape essence without intense flavour. These are simply light, refreshing companions to a summer day, all too easy to make several disappear at a mere 4.2% alcohol. The line between cider and wine has been blurred. An easy recommendation. I need to keep these on hand for the next time I’ve finished working in the garden. Buy a few cans here!
Drink ONES is a line of de-alcoholized wines made right here in BC. Like the pet nats and piquettes, they are very light and refreshing, carbonated prior to bottling/canning to make them ultra fresh and invigorating. I imagine these are most appealing to people who enjoy drinking wine and want or need to limit alcohol - not quite alcohol free, as the final concentration is a bare 0.5%. Of the three varieties sampled, the white (Chardonnay) most closely approximates a fresh sparkling wine in aroma and flavour. I would reach for a bottle of this if I craved a fizzy white but wanted to be buzz-free. The rosé (made with Merlot) is feather light and what flavour can be perceived (ripe strawberry, crushed rock) is pleasant. The dusty rose colour is attractive as well. This one is growing on me, especially rejuvenating the day after an evening of extensive tasting! Carbonation is nearly the only redeeming feature of the red (Cab Sav/Malbec) which, like the other varieties, has zero sugar and is therefore a little abrasive. There is potential though - on the nose there’s evidence of fruit character and even oak but the overall impression on the palate is wanting for a bit of body. They are still experimenting with base wines so watch for new releases. The cost of the mini-can packs may be prohibitive for some but if you find a flavour you like, by the bottle it costs about the same as a quality conventional wine.
Lightning Rock Winery in Summerland is releasing several 2023 pet nats! I had the pleasure of sampling their Chenin Blanc. The process was very intentional: grapes were sourced specifically from a Peachland vineyard. Fermentation took place in concrete eggs, and the wine was bottled and rested on lees with hand riddling for 6 months followed by disgorging. Fancy pants! It’s this last part that makes the wine clear and bright, despite no filtration or fining. Bursting with energy and almost impossibly bubbly, it’s juicy and fresh. There’s great acidity, aromas and flavours of citrus, pear, melon, and a soothing sweetness. Despite the short time sur lie there is notable fresh bread character as well. Perfect picnic partner. Can’t wait to try the rest!
Special note: Lightning Rock Winery is a participating partner in the BC Wine Passport offering guests a complimentary wine tasting experience!
The team at Foolish Wine in the hip District Wine Village between OK Falls and Oliver have also taken up the charge of producing pet nats (plural!). These perfectly encapsulate Foolish’s ethos of unpretentiousness. Both appear to be unfined and unfiltered, with fruit coming from the Naramata bench, and are from the 2022 vintage.
Named ‘Troublemaker’, the Chardonnay pet nat is at 11.5% alcohol. It’s funky and dry, and I kid you not there’s Camembert rind on the nose. Lemon tart and Asian pear on the palate. Refreshing and fit for the table with crackers and cheese.
Their Gewürztraminer pet nat under the moniker ‘Bottle Rocket’ is at 13.2% alcohol and I can’t say I’ve tried anything like it. The nose reminds me of honing compound and the taste takes getting used to but it is enjoyable, acid is high and fruit is subdued, with a pleasantly creamy mousse. This one is low in polish and high in excitement - and that’s the point!
Special note: Foolish Wines is a participating partner in the BC Wine Passport offering guests a complimentary wine tasting experience for two!
The greatest joy of these light, care-free, invigorating wines and wine alternatives is that they are the very definition of uncomplicated. Simple, no-intervention methods are a bonus, and there is considerable overlap for the beer and cider lovers too. For all these reasons and more, I hope to see a normalization of fun, light-hearted and economical libations that so embody the spirit of spring and summer.
This article was written by our Contributor, Matt Tinney.