Are There Any Dry Non-Alcoholic Sparkling Wines With Zero Sugar?

We often talk about the benefits of taking a break from alcohol, whether it's for Dry January or another occasion you pick for yourself. However, there’s another substance that many of us rely on, whether we realize it or not, and taking a break from it can also help our health.

Sugar is in most things we consume in our day-to-day lives, even things we don’t expect. For instance, you’ll have a hard time finding a non-alcoholic sparkling wine that doesn’t have sugar. However, it is very possible to find one that’s low in sugar and free from added sugar.

Can There Be a Dry Non-Alcoholic Sparkling Wine With Zero Sugar?

Finding a zero-sugar non-alcoholic wine would be pretty unlikely, and that’s because of how non-alcoholic wine is made. 

There are two types of non-alcoholic wines. In one case, you have a “wine” that many don’t consider much of a wine at all, as it’s simply made from grapes that weren’t allowed to ferment. Since they don’t ferment, no alcohol is created. 

The other type of non-alcoholic wine, which is quickly becoming increasingly popular, is de-alcoholized wine. In this case, the grapes are allowed to ferment, which creates the alcohol, as well as the flavors and aromas we’ve come to associate with wine.

Then, the wine undergoes a de-alcoholization process, which removes the alcohol. However, de-alcoholization doesn’t remove sugar content. Since non-alcoholic wine starts with grapes, which naturally contain sugar, wine will naturally still have that sugar content.

As grapes ripen on the vine, photosynthesis converts sucrose in the leaves into glucose and fructose. When grapes receive more sunlight, they ripen faster, which increases sugar levels. 

Then, during the fermentation stage, yeast consumes the sugar in the grapes, which creates ethanol and carbon dioxide. The yeast either eats up all the sugar or is removed before that happens. The result is that there’s still some sugar in the wine, which is called the residual sugar. Due to this trade-off, it’s typically true that a wine high in residual sugar will have a lower alcohol level, and vice versa.

Why Would a Dry Wine Have Sugar?

You may be thinking, “But if I have a dry wine instead of a sweet wine, it should have less sugar.” You’d be (mostly) correct. Dry wines, whether alcoholic or non-alcoholic, typically start from grapes that have a lower level of naturally occurring sugar. You’ll often find that dry wines make for great non-alcoholic wines for this reason.

A lot of naturally occurring sugar means more opportunities for either higher residual sugar after fermentation or a higher alcohol content. In the case of a dry wine, you don’t want that high residual sugar, while in the case of a non-alcoholic wine, you don’t want to start the de-alcoholization process with a highly alcoholized wine. 

So, many vintners employ techniques to keep the grapes from developing a high sugar content, which involves protecting them from the sun. Through canopy management techniques, vintners shade the grapes from the sun, which makes them ripen more slowly and develop lower sugar levels.

However, whether you’re drinking non-alcoholic wine that never fermented or de-alcoholized wine, you’re still drinking something that came from grapes, even if you’re drinking a dry non-alcoholic wine. For that reason, even a dry non-alcoholic sparkling wine is going to have a little bit of naturally occurring sugar.

What if you find a non-alcoholic wine labeled sugar-free? Well, it might not actually be totally free from sugar.

Just like a non-alcoholic wine can have up to 0.5% ABV and still be non-alcoholic, a “sugar-free” non-alcoholic wine can have up to 0.5 grams of sugar. In general, it would be very hard to find a non-alcoholic wine that doesn’t have at least a trace amount of sugar in it. 

Are There Dry Non-Alcoholic Sparkling Wines Low in Sugar?

There are absolutely dry non-alcoholic wines that are low in sugar. The key to finding one is to look for a non-alcoholic wine that skips added sugar and relies fully on the naturally occurring sugar in the grapes.

BEAU VIVA is a dry non-alcoholic sparkling wine that started its life as a grape, and we strive to maintain its subtle sweetness and the natural flavors of the wine it creates throughout the fermentation and de-alcoholization process. No added sugar or sweeteners make for a dry wine where you can truly savor the rich flavors and aromas.

Go Low-Sugar With BEAU VIVA

Cutting down on sugar consumption while also cutting out alcohol doesn’t have to be hard. With BEAU VIVA, you get a wine that’s truly alcohol-free, with a 0% ABV, making it safe for anyone abstaining from alcohol to enjoy. 

Meanwhile, anyone looking for low-sugar options can rejoice knowing that BEAU VIVA only uses natural sugar, making it a low-calorie, low-sugar non-alcoholic wine that’s perfect for any celebration.

See why low-sugar lifestylers are making BEAU VIVA their top choice.