Does Lower Calorie Wine Taste the Same as Regular Wine?

On average, a standard glass of wine contains around 120-130 calories, whilst reduced calories wines tend to contain 15% less calories per serving. Meanwhile, wines lower in alcohol are, by nature, lower in calories.

But, do these lower calorie wines taste just as good as their “full-fat” counterparts? In this article we discuss what makes standard wines taste different to reduced calories wines, and how winemakers are going above and beyond to ensure that lower calorie wines taste just as good.

Do Lower Calorie Wines Taste Different From Regular Wines?

Just like red, white, and rose wines all taste different from each other, reduced calorie wines taste different from regular wines as they are made differently. This doesn’t necessarily mean a worse taste, as lower calorie wine still tastes good the majority of the time. Wine, unless used for cooking, is usually meant to have a more dry taste which is why lower sugar and lower carbs usually means better flavour. Lower calorie wines contain less sugar and slightly less alcohol, which can impact the flavour in positive or negative ways.

If you want a sweeter tasting glass of wine with lower calories, you could try adding a low sugar mixer to your lower calorie white wine.

Why Do Lower Calories Wines Taste Different?

Lower calorie wines may taste different to their regular counterparts depending on their production process. Whilst there are multiple ways to reduce the calories in wine, some compromise the flavour more than others.

Reduced sugar

Reducing the amount of sugar in wine will reduce the number of calories in the wine. There are a number of ways to reduce the amount of sugar in wine, but two common ways to do this are through the fermentation process, and the use of early-harvested grapes. Needless to say, the amount of sugar in wine will affect the taste, for better or worse.

Fermentation

A longer fermentation process will convert more sugar into alcohol meaning that less residual sugar, calories, and carbohydrates will be included in the finished product, however it will result in a higher ABV%.

Early harvesting

Harvesting grapes earlier means that there is less sugar to convert during the fermentation process, and less residual sugar left in the final product, resulting in a lower calorie wine, without the high ABV% as with those that have undergone a longer fermentation.

Reduced Alcohol

On average, pure alcohol contains around 7 calories per ml, therefore a low or zero alcohol wine will naturally be lower in calories than those with a higher ABV%. The alcohol content in wine, whilst not providing distinct flavour, will affect the taste of the drink. Wines with a stronger ABV% are likely to have a more rounded flavour and a heavier mouthfeel, which does affect their overall taste.

5 of the Best Lower Calorie Wines that Taste Good

DrinkWell offers a wide range of reduced calorie wines, including red wines, white wines, rose wines, and sparkling wines.

Guillaume Aurele Pinot Noir

With only 92 calories and 0g of sugar, this Guillaume Aurele Pinot Noir is a soft, fruity, reduced calorie red wine from southern France. To create a great flavour, the grapes were grown in a cooler climate on the mediterranean for a fresher, more balanced palate, and picked early before a long maceration to extract the most flavour from the grapes.

Cuvee Il Bianco 450

Il Bianco is a blend of cool weather picked chardonnay and sauvignon grapes from Italy. With only 75 calories and 0g of sugar per serving, this reduced calorie white wine is packed with crisp citrus flavours with good minerality and depth. A refreshing lower calorie white wine that doesn’t compromise on taste.

Les Oliviers Grenache Cinsault

A Provence-style reduced calorie rose wine is from the Languedoc region of southern France. With only 69 calories and 0g sugar per serving, this lower calorie rose wine packs a punch, with a tangy berry flavour and spicy notes.

Skinny Witch Prosecco Brut

Discover a reduced calorie prosecco from award-winning winemaker, Skinny Witch. With just 69 calories and 0g sugar per serving, this is the perfect lower calorie wine for any celebration. Skinny Witch delivers a beautifully flavoured, naturally sweet wine with hints of citrus, redcurrant, and pepper, gained from the use of more grapes to make up for the decreased sugar content.

Vilarnau Sparkling Brut Rose

Discover an award winning reduced calorie, zero alcohol, sparkling rose wine from the San Sadurní d’Anoia region in Spain. With only 28 calories per serving, this sparkling rose is a sophisticated sweet treat. Containing notes of strawberries and cream, raspberry sorbet, cherry blossom, and tropical fruits, this reduced calorie wine is the perfect accompaniment to a warm summer evening.

Or try the No Sugar, No Worries case, for a selection of delicious no sugar, lower calorie wines. 

Drinkwell is the only UK retailer specialising in reduced calorie alcohol. Why not have a browse through our entire reduced wine collection to find your new favourites.