Non-alcoholic wine, a new type of production derived from grapes without the need to be fermented, will soon reach the shelves of Uruguay. The first shipments will arrive from Europe, but the authorities’ idea is, in a few months, to authorize the first local productions. This will be after the harvest is over, the harvest season for wine production.
The decree approved by the National Wine Institute (Inavi) establishes the regulations for the production of non-alcoholic wine because, until now, its legal status did not exist. Meanwhile, according to national legislation, wine must have a minimum of 9.5 or 10 degrees of alcohol.
“The decree that allows the production, import and sale of alcohol-free or low-alcohol wine has been approved and also allows the production of grape nectar, which was not yet legislated, which is a grape juice with hydration, that is, with the addition of water to reduce the amount of natural sugar it has,” he explained Ricardo Cabrerapresident of Inavi Ambit. “He Uruguay It has many regulatory standards regarding wine and therefore, everything that is wanted to change the classification has to have a decree that protects it,” he added.
The first step will be the importation of the product, from the countries that today produce it as Italy, France and Holland, Australia and state Joined. “In a short time it will be possible to develop in the country what is going to take time because we have to have a technology that does not exist today but that will surely exist within the year,” Cabrera clarified.
“In 45 or 60 days we will be able to have the first imported non-alcoholic wines. We have received several inquiries from wineries interested in producing. It is not a cheap technology, like all technologies that make wine production, but I understand that production can occur and here the most important of all, it is a drink that is not going to compete with alcoholic wine. It will do so with similar products such as soft drinks, non-alcoholic beer, juices, etc.,” added the Inavi leader.
How is non-alcoholic wine produced?
The treatment that the wine receives is by reverse osmosis, through a membrane that separates the alcohol components.
In the procedure, a traditional and good quality wine is produced and then exposed to reverse osmosis to achieve separation. This treatment can be done to any type of wine, even sparkling wines, although it has a high cost.
Non-alcoholic wine is aimed at people with associated health problems or who want to follow a healthier lifestyle, in addition to the potential market of consumers who like the product but cannot consume it due to traffic regulations restrictions in Uruguay.
Inavi’s projects for this year
The president of Inavi also announced to Ambit that the so-called Harvest is in the process of beginning, which is the most important period for the country’s vineyards and the wineries where the wine of the year is made and will then go on sale. In addition, Cabrera announced that he is working very hard on sustainable wines.
Inavi will also participate as organizer on March 19 to 21 at the World Wine Tourism Congress, at the Enjoy Punta del Estewhere relevant figures from all over the world will arrive.
Source: Ambito
