At this year’s London Wine Fair, SW Wines Europe, the UK arm of the renowned Schloss Wachenheim AG group, showcased its range of wine from the parent group, along with new products from its alcohol-free wine brand, Eisberg Be Free.
When we received the press release announcing their attendance at the event and their new range, we were keen to sample what promised to be a convincing wine, which was missing no more than alcohol.
Over the years we have witnessed the demand-led growth for low- and no-alcohol beers, wines and spirits, but the results – particularly in the latter categories – have been variable.
Alcohol-free beers and lagers are now about as good as their ‘full fat’ counterparts, whether this is from international producers of brands that sponsor rugby to the independent breweries up and down the country.
We have sampled some excellent alcohol-free beers and lagers, from the artisan and hand-crafted sector, many of which we would happily order in a bar and not feel that we were sacrificing anything.
However, in our opinion alcohol free spirits still don’t make much sense, because it is the essence of the higher alcohol content that helps create the unique and complex flavour profiles, which deliver warming mouthfeels and memorable finishes.
If you’re mixing a zero alcohol gin, for example, with tonic, you might as well just have a glass of tonic, which we did when we were sent a zero percent gin to sample. We sampled the drink with a tonic and we also had a tonic with nothing added – the difference in flavour was negligible, rendering the ‘gin’ irrelevant.
Alcohol-free wines haven’t done that much bettering recent years, with many brands producing wines that are too sweet, slightly sickly and lacking character or body.
Eisberg’s Be Free range, on the other hand, is excellent.
We were recently sent several 200ml cans of their Be Free Sparkling Rosé, which we chilled for several hours before sampling what turned out to be a very convincing wine.
Pouring the wine released a flurry of delicate bubbles, which when sampled gave way to a rewarding burst in the mouth of delicious fruity, berry flavours.
The wine was the perfect balance between sweetness and acidity, and delivered a satisfying mouthfeel and finish that left you wanting more.
This wine is perfect for drinking with friends as the warmer summer months approach and would also pair well with fish and chicken dishes – providing a refreshing alternative to the traditional pairing with white wines.
The company’s current portfolio spans the European continent, from the group’s heartland in the Mosel Valley, across Germany and into Eastern Europe.
With the continued demand for sparkling alcohol-free wines growing at 17% year-on-year, Be Free’s sparkling rosé is positioned to do well, but there are some clouds on the horizon for alcohol-free wines, as a whole.
The quality of alcohol-free wines remains variable, unlike 0% beers whose consistency and quality are, as stated, increasingly hard to differentiate from traditional beers, stouts and lagers.
Eisberg’s Be Free range is a stand-out range that offers a convincing alternative for drinkers who are looking to reduce their alcohol consumption, but don’t want to give up the wine drinking experience.
For more information visit: Eisberg Wines