By Christine Salins.
If you attended Sunset Cinema in one of its half dozen or so locations around Australia during the summer season, you would almost certainly have heard of Oxford Landing’s Sunlight range.
With a lower alcohol content of around 7 to 8 per cent, these wines are part of a growing trend towards low and no alcohol wines.
As consumers are looking to moderate their alcohol consumption – or as some refer to it, pursue a “sober-curious” lifestyle – there’s a growing awareness of the benefits of mindful drinking.
Sunlight by Oxford Landing, released by Hill-Smith Family Estates just before summer, are the company’s first wines which have had alcohol removed.
Oxford Landing winemaker Andrew La Nauze spent 18 months developing the Chardonnay and Shiraz to ensure their lower alcohol didn’t compromise on quality or taste (the Chardonnay comes in at 7% alcohol and the Shiraz 8%).
The bright, colourful labels are a nod to the brand’s Riverland origins (“the warm Australian sun over the river”) but they are not overt about being lower in alcohol.
“People can comfortably enjoy a wine in social occasions, without feeling like they are missing out or making an obvious statement about their choice,” La Nauze said.
Similarly low in alcohol and calories is Casella Family Brands’ [yellow tail] Pure Bright range. It includes a sparkling white, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Shiraz, ranging in alcohol content from 8.5 to 10.8 per cent ABV (alcohol by volume).
Proprietary blending techniques and reverse osmosis are used to reduce the alcohol content while retaining flavour.
“Until now, lower calorie wines have been seen as light on flavour. That was a trade-off we weren’t willing to make,” said Casella Brands’ managing director, John Casella. “We took the opposite approach, ensuring great taste and then working our way backward to deliver on making it lighter.”
[yellow tail] Pure Bright Sparkling, $10: At this price, Champagne to impress your friends it ain’t. But nor does it aspire to be. Billed as “cheerful, fun and fizzy”, it is light and refreshing with tropical fruit and citrus notes. Despite its lower alcohol (8.5% ABV compared with 11.5%) there is little discernible difference in taste from [yellow tail] Bubbles, the brand’s regular sparkling offering.
[yellow tail] Pure Bright 2022 Pinot Noir, $10: With an ABV of 10.8%, this is at the higher end in alcohol content amongst the low alcohol offerings (if you’re not confused by now). Soft, bright and juicy with notes of cherries, red berries and a hint of sweet spice. Best served slightly chilled on a warm day.
Sunlight by Oxford Landing 2021 Chardonnay, $15: A surprising amount of varietal character despite its low alcohol content (7% ABV). Refreshing and crisp with stone fruit, melon, chamomile and honey flavours.
Sunlight by Oxford Landing 2021 Shiraz, $15: Probably my pick of the two Sunlight wines, this one delivers more flavour with a generous amount of red berry, plum and vanilla notes with hints of pepper and licorice.
