If you’re shopping for alcohol-free wines, chances are you would have chanced upon wines labeled “Dealcoholized” and “Non-Alcoholic.”
“Dealcoholized” and “Non-Alcoholic” wines are might sound like the same beverage, they are similar but not the same. Non-alcoholic wines are traditionally crafted without undergoing fermentation, ensuring they maintain a 0.0% alcohol by volume (ABV).
In contrast, dealcoholized wines undergo the fermentation process, and any alcohol produced is subsequently removed, leaving them with a minimal alcohol content (below 0.5% ABV).
However, many winemakers use the names interchangeably, and a non-alcoholic wine might be labeled as dealcoholized and vice versa.
If you’re confused about the difference in labeling and whether one is better than the other when you’re trying to avoid alcohol, then read on as we break down the nuances between dealcoholized vs non-alcoholic wine.
3 Differences Between Dealcoholized And Non-Alcoholic Wine
| Dealcoholized Wine | Non-Alcoholic Wine | |
|---|---|---|
| Production | Alcohol is removed from regular wine | Uses methods that prevent alcohol formation during fermentation |
| Amount of alcohol | <0.5% ABV | 0.0% ABV |
| Taste | Has a fuller mouthfeel and more complex flavors | Tastes thinner and usually sweeter like grape juice |
Production method
Dealcoholized wine is made by removing alcohol from regular wine using various methods such as heating, vacuum distillation, or reverse osmosis.
The most popular filtration method winemakers use is the reverse osmosis, which involves using pressure to push concentrated alcohol against a semipermeable membrane to separate the alcohol and water.
Non-alcoholic wines are typically made by fermenting grape or fruit juice using methods that prevent alcohol formation. This results in an alcohol-free wine that does not need to undergo the alcohol-removal process.
Also Read: Does Non-Alcoholic Wine Have Tannins? A Guide To Tannins In Non-Alcoholic Wine
Amount of alcohol
Since non-alcoholic wines are made without going through fermentation, no traces of alcohol is created. Dealcoholized wine usually contains a small amount of residual alcohol, often less than 0.5% alcohol by volume (ABV).
Before you start worrying, know that 0.5% alcohol is the same amount of trace alcohol found in fermented or common pantry foods like bread, a ripe banana, or a glass of orange juice.
If you’ve never gotten drunk off a ripe banana, you won’t get drunk off a 0.5% ABV wine either.
Also Read: Does Non-Alcoholic Wine Relax You? Here Are The Straight Facts
Taste
I’ll be honest here: most non-alcoholic and dealcoholized wines don’t taste like real wine. That is because alcohol adds flavor and body to wine, and the absence of alcohol is very visible in non-alcoholic and dealcoholized wines.
With that said, I have found that wines with 0.5% ABV taste slightly fuller than 0.0% ABV wines.
Since 0.5% ABV wines have gone through the full fermentation process, I feel like that creates a rounder, fuller taste and mouthfeel.
Conclusion
While there are some technical nuances between dealcoholized vs non-alcoholic wine, both are often used interchangeably by winemakers (and even us!) to indicate an alcohol-free wine. Besides these two names, the labels might use alcohol removed or 0.0% alcohol.
Since the nuances between the names are insignificant, there is no real difference between a dealcoholized wine and a non-alcoholic wine. So feel free to drink both types of wines without worrying about alcohol!
Choose Dealcoholized Wines:
- If you’re looking for a more complex flavor
- Don’t mind trace amount of alcohol (up to 0.5%ABV)
Choose Non-Alcoholic Wines:
- If you prefer to avoid any trace amount of alcohol
- Looking for less tannic wines
Other FAQs
What Is the Difference Between Non-Alcoholic and Alcohol Free Wine?
A non-alcoholic wine is often used to describe a wine with an alcohol content of less than 0.5% alcohol by volume (ABV).
Alcohol-free wine, on the other hand, is used to describe a wine with an alcohol content of less than 0.05% alcohol by volume (ABV). Many alcohol-free wines are typically made of grape juice that has been enhanced to mimic the attributes of wine.
That said, many winemakers use both names interchangeably on their labels. So, it is best to check the label for 0.0% alcohol if you want to avoid any trace of alcohol.
Also Read: Non-Alcoholic Wine Vs Grape Juice: What’s The Difference?
Is Dealcoholized Wine Alcoholic?
No, dealcoholized wine is not alcoholic because it only contains no more than 0.5% alcohol.
0.5% alcohol is considered a trace amount of alcohol commonly found in many foods you eat, so you don’t need to worry about getting drunk while drinking dealcoholized wine.
However, if you are practicing a religion that prohibits any trace amounts of alcohol, then you will want to avoid dealcoholized wines.
Is Non-Alcoholic Wine 100% Alcohol Free?
Non-alcoholic wine may still contain small amounts of alcohol of less than 0.5% alcohol per volume (ABV). Always check the wine label to see that it states 0.0% to ensure the wine is 100% alcohol-free.
Also Read: 9 Best Mini Non-Alcoholic Wine for Easy Sipping On The Go