New Zealand’s Giesen Group has introduced their first non-alcohol red wine, a 0% Merlot, into their popular 0% alcohol-removed range. With global demand for this style of wines, it is a perfect option for those participating in mindful drinking initiatives like Febfast or looking for a healthier drinking alternative to enjoy.
Australia will be the first market globally to discover the taste of this new release. Conceived due to overwhelming consumer feedback via social media, the Giesen winemaking team set out to make an alcohol-removed red wine to join the world-first 0% New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc.
The Merlot is a natural addition to the Giesen 0% collection. Sourced from premium fruit from the famed Hawke’s Bay wine region, it has a soft acidity structure which makes it a perfect red varietal to create a balanced, well-structured no-alcohol wine. With strong varietal characters of plum, cherry and blackberry, it’s an aromatic red wine which is easy drinking and a perfect match with food.
The Merlot is made in the same way as the white wines in the 0% range. The wine is made as a full-strength red wine initially, with the alcohol then gently removed with innovative spinning cone technology. The wine is distilled into three layers; aroma, alcohol and the body of the wine. The delicate aroma is collected and recombined with the body of the wine, adding just a touch of premium grape juice to the final blend. It’s also 70 per cent lower in calories than a regular 12.5 per cent alc/vol wine at just 18 calories per 100ml glass.
Giesen Group is taking the non-alcoholic category seriously, seeing many opportunities to extend drinking occasions for those who love wine but don’t always want the calories or the alcohol.
Chief Winemaker Duncan Shouler says, "This is a delicious red wine with all the flavour and structure you’d expect from a Merlot, but without the alcohol. Dry in style, but still with bright varietal characters. We’ve worked hard on the flavour profile of this new release to preserve the tannins and structure. It has a wonderful lightness making it a refreshing choice and great with a range of foods.”
The Giesen 0% range has been a popular choice with consumers over summer. The wines have sold out multiple times, and new release 0% Rosé and 0% Pinot Gris have proven especially popular with consumers.
The Giesen 0% Merlot has a recommended retail price of $18.99 and is available in retail outlets across Australia including Craft Zero and Sans Drinks. Soon to be ranged nationally in Dan Murphy's and BWS.
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