McGuigan Wines is entering the alcohol-free sector with the launch of a new range called Zero.
The portfolio comprises five alcohol-free wines; a shiraz, sparkling, rosé, chardonnay and sauvignon blanc, which will initially be available in Morrisons, Budgens and Londis.
The wines have been in development for more than two years and employ technology unique to the brand’s Buronga Hill winery in New South Wales, with McGuigan claiming it is the only Australian label capable of producing alcohol-free wines by the same method. The brand uses the latest spinning cone technology, working at low temperatures to gently remove alcohol after the fermentation process, ensuring the wines maintain their fruit flavours.
McGuigan also highlighted that the Zero range contains no artificial sweeteners or additives.
McGuigan stated that the launch was in response to a rising global trend, which has seen the alcohol-free sector gain increasing momentum, particularly in the UK.
McGuigan Wines Chief Winemaker, Neil McGuigan, said: “For the last few years, we have been experimenting with our winemaking to deliver a no-alcohol wine, which has the most vinous and varietal character as possible. The biggest challenge is to make the flavour profile of the finished product as close to a wine at full-strength as possible.
“The technology we use is market-leading and uses low temperatures to remove the alcohol, which means the wine retains freshness and purity of flavour. To get the finished product down to a lower ABV requires further refinement, but we have identified that this is possible to achieve while maintaining wine-like qualities.”
Chief Operating Officer, Julian Dyer added: “The announcement of Zero is an exciting addition to our portfolio of award-winning wines. This is true innovation that meets a very clear and specific consumer demand.
“The UK’s appetite for the no alcohol category has increased by 36% over the past 52 weeks. Consumers have a growing interest for no alcohol as opposed to ‘low’ or ‘de-alcoholised’ wine, and we’ve created a premium product in response to that.”
The launch of Zero (RRP £4.50 per bottle) will be supported by instore activations and social media activity.
