Is Non-Alcoholic Wine Alcohol Free?

More and more people are making the switch to non-alcoholic living, with the U.S. drinking rate reaching record lows. It’s a great time to give living without alcohol a try, as the world is embracing opportunities for cherishing every moment without needing alcohol. From non-alcoholic sparkling wines to fully sober bars and clubs, we’re all learning to live fully present in the moment without relying on alcohol. We’re forming connections in new ways while embracing old traditions.

Whether you’re toasting with Champagne at your cousin’s wedding or sipping mimosas with your best friends to celebrate the weekend, ritual brings us together. Non-alcoholic drinks allow everyone to get in on that bond. However, there are certain caveats. Is non-alcoholic wine alcohol free? The answer is: It depends.

Are All Non-Alcoholic Wines Alcohol Free?

Non-alcoholic doesn’t actually mean no alcohol—at least not legally. In the United States, for drinks to be labeled “non-alcoholic,” they can have up to 0.5% ABV. For some point of reference, that’s the average ABV of your typical bottle of kombucha. A bottle of wine can range between 5.5% and 20% ABV.

However, some non-alcoholic wines do have a 0% ABV, like BEAU VIVA. BEAU VIVA’s non-alcoholic sparkling rosé has a true 0% ABV, making it safe for anyone who is avoiding alcohol to partake in.

Is Non-Alcoholic Wine Safe for Everyone?

Not every non-alcoholic wine is safe for everyone to consume. For instance, it’s not recommended that pregnant women drink non-alcoholic wine, unless they know for certain that it has a 0% ABV. There is no recommended amount of alcohol for pregnant people to drink, so even non-alcoholic wine with an ABV as low as 0.5% is not safe to drink during pregnancy.

However, a non-alcoholic wine that’s truly alcohol-free, like BEAU VIVA, is safe for pregnant women and anyone else who is avoiding alcohol to drink.

How Is Alcohol-Free Wine Made?

There are many different ways to remove alcohol from wine. In most cases, one would make alcoholized wine before going through a dealcoholization process to create non-alcoholic wine. 

However, there are benefits and drawbacks to using each type of dealcoholization. For instance, reverse osmosis can be used to dealcoholize wine, but it’s very difficult to form a completely alcohol-free wine from this process.

Not all alcohol is removed when the wine is passed through a membrane. It would take several passes through the membrane to even significantly reduce the alcohol content, let alone completely dealcoholize it. Reverse osmosis can also sometimes change the consistency of the wine, and it also doesn’t maintain the aromas or flavors of the wine through the dealcoholization process. 

On the other hand, another dealcoholization process, vacuum distillation, has become one of the most popular ways to remove alcohol from wine. For this process, one starts by placing the wine in a vacuum chamber. From there, the pressure decreases, which makes the boiling point of alcohol drop significantly. Do to this change, the alcohol evaporates at much lower temperatures, which helps the dealcoholized wine retain its flavor. 

Vacuum distillation has been found to result in a greater reduction of alcohol than other dealcoholization methods while actually increasing the concentration of other essential components of wine, like flavonoids. BEAU VIVA uses vacuum distillation to create our zero-alcohol sparkling rosé, which helps us maintain the wine’s integrity and delicate flavors and aromas, before we add in the finest of bubbles.

Enjoy Non-Alcoholic Wine That’s Actually Alcohol Free

Non-alcoholic can be a confusing label. On its face, it seems like non-alcoholic should mean no alcohol, but many non-alcoholic wines do contain trace amounts of alcohol. These kinds of non-alcoholic wines can be exclusionary.

Alcohol has an important place in our rituals, like drinking Champagne at a wedding, but alcohol determines who can take part in these traditions. We don’t think alcohol should call the shots when it comes to something as important as making connections and forming traditions with the ones we love.

With BEAU VIVA, everyone is included. With true zero-alcohol wine, celebrations become even more welcoming. Through our dealcoholization process, we preserve the vibrant flavors and bright aromas of wine crafted by our award-winning vintners while we create something that everyone can enjoy together.

Discover what makes alcohol-free wine special with BEAU VIVA.