But it’s not just the alcohol component of wine that is putting consumers off traditional wine - it’s sugar too.
How much sugar in wine?
There are several factors that affect the amount of sugar that’s in your wine. Of course, grapes play the biggest role.
The sugar content of wine is determined by the type of grapes used and the time when they’re harvested. The longer that the grapes are on the vine, the sweeter they become.
But this all happens behind the scenes – it’s hidden. Much like sugar on many wine labels.
Australian wine is not required to have a nutritional label. So, when it comes to the sugar content, you’re drinking blind. In contrast, alcohol-free wine is required to include nutritional information including sugar and calories.
We do know that the calorific alcohol component of traditional wine means that it is much higher in calories than a non-alcoholic wine. Giesen makes a good example. At only 13 calories per 100ml serving, Giesen 0% marlborough sauvignon blanc has 75% less calories than a traditional 12.5% alc/vol Sauvignon Blanc, making it an excellent choice if you are looking for low calorie wine.
The sugar content in wine also varies depending on the type of wine and can range from approximately zero grams to 22 grams per 100ml. As a rule of thumb, the drier the wine, the lower in sugar. The same can be said for zero alcohol wine.
At Sans Drinks we follow the Australian Food Standards labeling guidelines, which means that all the wine in our low sugar wine section contains less than 2.5g per 100ml. Our low sugar wine section includes brands such as Lautus, Wolf Blass, Giesen, The Duchess, and Edenvale.
Sugar is bad news for your health
Related: Sugar rush: Everything you need to know about sugar and alcohol
There are lots of reasons to pay attention to the amount of sugar you’re consuming. Too much sugar (including the sugar in wine) contributes to weight gain as it’s turned into fat. When you consume more sugar than your liver and muscles can store as glycogen, the excess is converted to fat and deposited all over the body.
Sugar can also contribute to dehydration which can leave you feeling and looking tired and run down.
Longer term, high sugar consumption can lead to more severe health problems including chronic disease, inflammation and diabetes. You can improve your health and wellbeing by reducing your sugar consumption.
And with a variety of delicious low sugar wine options available, it’s easier than ever. That’s what I call sweet!
