Low alcohol, high quality wines

Although every winemaker has their way of doing things, even the wine industry goes through fashions and trends. A few years ago, wine guru Robert Parker highlighted very structured wines with an alcohol content of up to 15%, whereas nowadays wines under 12% are the most popular. Winemakers, sommeliers and regular wine-lovers are choosing lighter wines more and more. They are great for hot summer days.

For those who want a good wine but with a low alcohol content, here are our recommendations. Fashionable wines that have not lost their creator’s style.

10 wines under 12% alcohol

1- Heinrich St. Laurent 2017

Made in one of today’s most popular wine regions, Burgenland (Austria), this barrel-aged red is a delight for the senses. A very light biodynamic wine that is full of nuances. It is made by Gernot and Heike Heinrich, who have a great understanding of the environments surrounding the vineyard.

2- Nicolas Carmarans Maximus 2018

Made using traditional carbonic maceration, this barrel-aged red wine is a fresh, light and very elegant wine. With no added oenological products, winemaker and former bartender, Nicolas Carmarans, has managed to create a natural wine that reflects the character of Occitania (France).

3- Motor Callet 2019

With a great understanding of the local Callet variety, Francesc Grimalt and Sergi Caballero have created a very Mediterranean wine on the fantastic island of Mallorca. An expressive, fresh and easy to drink wine, made with a touch of this winery’s classic humour and universally popular.

4- Fedellos do Couto Bastarda 2018

Under the name Fedellos (naughty in Galician), four young people started a winegrowing project in 2013 between the Valle do Bibei and the Sil river (D.O. Ribeira Sacra). This collaboration has resulted in this magnificent oak-aged red. A 100% Atlantic wine, with marked acidity and great mineral freshness. 

5- Envínate Benje 2018

The Envínate project is a great champion of fresh, light, Atlantic wines. So some of their most important work takes place in the Canary Islands. These are old, recovered, native variety vines like the Listán Negro that grows at the foot of Mount Teide. Definitely a breath of fresh air for the international wine scene.

6- Fritz Haag Riesling Trocken 2017

Often when we think German wines, we think white wines. And there is no better way to enjoy their freshness and minerality than with a Riesling, the local star variety.Born in the heart of the central valley of the Mosel River, this is a dry, elegant and highly mineralised estate wine that can be enjoyed on its own or alongside something else. 

7- Soalheiro Allo 2019

Next to the Minho river, in the Vinho Verde denomination, lies Quinta de Soalheiro, a pioneering Portuguese winery in the production of wines using the white Albariño variety. These expertise are evident in this young white wine, which is a blend of Albariño and Loureiro with a vibrant and wonderful expression. 

8- Txakoli Rezabal 2019

Inspired by traditional methods from the D.O. Getariako-Txakolina (Basque Country), this young winery is reviving an appetite for a nice Txakoli. A young white wine with only 11% alcohol and a sparkling acidity that is perfect for enjoying and sharing on a hot summer afternoon. 

9- Oddero Cascina Fiori Moscato d’Asti 2018

Low alcohol, refreshing and bubbly are three adjectives that perfectly describe a good sparkling Moscato d’Asti (Piedmont). An ancient, prestigious Barolo winery, Poderi e Cantine Oddero has treated us with this sparkling sweet wine with great intensity and freshness.  It deserves more than one toast. 

10- Aphros Wine Phaunus Pet Nat Branco 2018

Vasco Croft, a viticulturist who is completely committed to biodynamics and permaculture, is a well-known figure in the world of natural wines. He runs the family winery, Aphros Wine in the D.O. Vinho Verde (Portugal) and produces this wine made from a single fermentation without any added oenological products. A sparkling wine in true Pétillant Naturel style.

Now that we have told you about the wines coming out this summer, all that is left for you to do is enjoy them. We keep our wines in the best condition in our winery so they arrive perfectly and ready to be enjoyed as they should be… A long way away from high temperatures.