No/Low is no longer a niche category. What should winemakers know?

Wine consumption across Europe has been in long-term decline, while the no- and low-alcohol drinks category continues to grow. Does this mean the wine world is changing? And if so, how should the industry respond?

These were precisely the questions explored at a specialist seminar organised by the National Wine Centre, led by internationally recognised No & Low Alcohol expert Irem Eren. A chemistry graduate, sommelier and consultant, Eren has worked across the wine sector, including at Familia Torres and with companies specialising in wine dealcoholisation technologies. During the seminar, she presented the latest insights into market trends, consumer behaviour and the technological options currently available to producers.

One message stood out clearly: No/Low is no longer simply a trend, but an established category that wineries should increasingly recognise as part of the evolving wine market.

Developments at the top end of the market provide a clear illustration of this shift. When LVMH, whose portfolio includes names such as Moët & Chandon and Dom Pérignon, invested in French Bloom, one of the best-known producers of premium alcohol-free sparkling wines, it represented more than an investment in a single brand. For the wider wine sector, it was a clear signal that No/Low is becoming part of the long-term strategy of some of the world’s leading luxury groups.

It is not about abstinence. It is about changing consumer behaviour.

Just a few years ago, alcohol-free alternatives were associated primarily with pregnant women, drivers, or people who could not drink alcohol for health or religious reasons. Today, the picture looks very different.

According to data presented at the seminar, these consumers now account for only around 17% of the category. The largest share – approximately 43% – is made up of so-called ‘substituters’: consumers who drink alcohol but choose alcohol-free alternatives depending on the occasion. Another significant group practises what has become known as zebra striping – alternating between alcoholic and alcohol-free drinks over the course of an evening. More than 90% of consumers who buy No/Low products also regularly purchase conventional wine.

This suggests that No/Low should not necessarily be seen as competing with wine, but rather as extending the range of occasions on which consumers can choose a wine-based product. Increasingly, alcohol-free wines are appealing to the same consumers who, on another occasion, might order a conventional glass of wine.

From Dry January to ‘zebra striping’

New consumer trends offer a clear illustration of how the market is evolving. While Dry January – or ‘Dry February’ in the Czech Republic – was once the most visible expression of more mindful drinking, the emphasis is increasingly shifting towards moderation rather than abstinence. Alongside initiatives such as Dry July and Sober October, a new concept known as Damp January has emerged, centred not on giving up alcohol altogether but on consciously reducing alcohol consumption.

One of the most notable developments is ‘zebra striping’ – alternating between alcoholic and alcohol-free drinks during the same social occasion. Rather than alternating wine with water, for example, a guest might choose a high-quality alcohol-free alternative before returning to a conventional glass of wine later in the evening.

According to Irem Eren, this represents not only a shift in consumer behaviour but also an interesting opportunity for the hospitality sector. Restaurants can increase sales of premium beverages, while guests gain greater control over their alcohol intake without compromising the social and gastronomic experience.

A growing market despite declining wine consumption

No/Low is now one of the fastest-growing segments of the drinks industry.

According to figures presented at the seminar, the global market is worth approximately US$24 billion and is growing by around 9% annually. In the United States, the category is approaching US$1 billion in value, with online sales showing particularly strong growth. Germany remains Europe’s largest market, while the UK is also a significant player.

At the same time, the wider wine market is undergoing profound change. According to the figures presented, wine consumption in the European Union fell by approximately 10% between 2020 and 2025. A combination of factors is driving this decline: a growing focus on healthier lifestyles, generational shifts in drinking habits, changes to taxation, climate change, and rising grape sugar levels, which can result in higher-alcohol wines under conventional vinification – at a time when a growing number of consumers are seeking lighter styles and lower levels of alcohol.

Quality starts with the wine, not the technology

A significant part of the seminar focused on production itself. One of the key messages was that high-quality alcohol-free wine cannot be made from a mediocre base wine. Quite the opposite: removing alcohol can make any existing shortcomings even more apparent.

Producing a high-quality product therefore rests on three fundamental pillars:

• a high-quality base wine;
• the right dealcoholisation technology;
• post-dealcoholisation adjustments to restore structure and balance to the finished product.

The winemaker’s decisions play a crucial role from the outset. As discussed during the seminar, producing a genuinely high-quality dealcoholised wine often requires adapting the approach from the vineyard through to vinification. The base wine may not necessarily be designed for conventional consumption, but specifically for subsequent dealcoholisation – a process that alters its aromatic profile, structure and the perception of acidity.

Vacuum distillation is currently among the most widely used methods, including technologies such as the Spinning Cone Column, which allows alcohol to be separated at relatively low temperatures. Modern systems can also incorporate aroma recovery, capturing volatile aromatic compounds during the process and subsequently returning them to the wine.

Yet dealcoholisation itself is only part of the process. Once the alcohol has been removed, balance must be rebuilt, as alcohol is a key contributor to a wine’s body, texture and overall structure.

Sparkling wines have a natural advantage

According to Irem Eren, alcohol-free sparkling wines are currently among the category’s strongest performers. Carbon dioxide helps provide freshness, texture and a sense of structure that can otherwise be diminished by the absence of alcohol.

Producing high-quality alcohol-free red wine, by contrast, remains one of the category’s greatest technical challenges. Removing alcohol alters the balance between acidity, tannin and fruit, making both the choice of raw material and the vinification approach particularly important.

It is therefore no coincidence that sparkling wines rank among the category’s most successful products. French Bloom is a case in point, having built a strong position not only through the product itself but through carefully crafted premium positioning and marketing. As highlighted during the seminar, consumers are often buying more than an alcohol-free drink – they are buying the same sense of occasion they would expect from a traditional sparkling wine.

The opportunity extends beyond alcohol-free wine

Experts also see considerable potential in adjacent categories. Alongside dealcoholised wines, RTD (Ready-to-Drink) beverages are growing rapidly, as are wine-based aperitifs, spritzes and products made with verjus.

During the seminar, Irem Eren also presented her work with Born Rosé Barcelona, illustrating how partially dealcoholised wine can provide a base for contemporary aperitifs and lower-alcohol spritzes. According to Eren, products of this kind respond to growing demand for lighter, refreshing drinks while retaining a clear connection to the world of wine.

Verjus-based drinks offer another interesting example. In recent years, verjus has become an increasingly familiar presence in leading restaurants, finding a role not only as a culinary ingredient but also as a base for contemporary alcohol-free aperitifs.

Does entering the category make economic sense?

Alongside the technological considerations, the seminar also addressed the economics of production.

Investing in an in-house dealcoholisation line can require capital expenditure of €1–2 million. For most small and medium-sized wineries, working with a specialist third-party facility may therefore make greater economic sense.

Dealcoholisation itself represents only part of the overall cost: aroma recovery and production losses must also be factored in. In many markets, however, alcohol-free wines are not subject to alcohol excise duties, which can help offset some of the additional production costs.

Not against wine, but in favour of greater choice

One idea that Irem Eren returned to several times during the seminar perhaps best encapsulates the direction in which the category is moving: No/Low is not anti-alcohol. It is pro-choice.

The aim is not to replace conventional wine or persuade consumers to stop drinking alcohol. Rather, it is about offering greater choice for different occasions, lifestyles and moments of consumption.

For Czech wineries, No/Low therefore need not be viewed as a threat, but as an opportunity: to broaden their portfolios, reach new consumers, respond to changing drinking habits and, in some cases, open doors to new export markets.

Both market data and practical experience suggest that the question is no longer whether No/Low will continue to grow. The more pertinent question is what role wineries themselves will choose to play in that growth.