MARLBOROUGH ‘SAV BLANC’
FIRST ALCOHOL-FREE
Family-owned Kiwi
winery Giesen has
launched what
has been called
the world’s first
alcohol-removed
Marlborough
Sauvignon Blanc.
The landmark innovation
will allow discerning
Sauvignon Blanc
consumers around the
world to enjoy a glass of New
Zealand’s popular and distinctive
grape varietal on any occasion
while moderating their alcohol
intake.
Over the last two decades, a
‘sober-curious’ trend has swept
the globe as more people swap
full-strength wine, beer and spirits
for low or no-alcohol counterparts.
This trend will continue to rise, with
the European Zero Alcohol Drinks
2019 Report predicting global sales
to grow 10% each year over the
next five years.
Currently the country’s top wine
export, Sauvignon Blanc made up
86%, or an estimated NZD$1.5
billion, of the total wine exports in
2019. Sauvignon Blanc from the
Marlborough region is especially
sought after, as it is globally
renowned for its quality and
distinctive taste. While there have
been growing numbers of alcoholfree
wines new to market in recent
months, Giesen 0% - Marlborough
Sauvignon Blanc is the first from
NZ’s famous wine-producing
region.
Unlike other no-alcohol varieties
on the market, Giesen 0% -
Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc
goes through the exact same
winemaking process as the fullstrength
variety, beginning with
Sauvignon Blanc grapes grown
in Giesen’s vineyards across
Marlborough.
To produce a no-alcohol wine,
the Giesen winemakers use
an innovative spinning cone
technology - popular in perfume
making - which separates the
fragrance and alcohol from
the wine. Once the alcohol is
removed, the distinctive distilled
aroma unique to Marlborough
Sauvignon Blanc is added
back into the wine.
This advanced form
of distillation allows
Giesen to handle the
wine gently, maintaining
the integrity of both the
delicate flavour palate
and texture throughout
the process. The removal
of the alcohol also gives
Giesen 0% - Marlborough
Sauvignon Blanc its own
unique taste profile. While varietally
expressive, it is much lighter
than its full-strength counterpart
and boasts citrus flavours with
blackcurrant and passionfruit
notes.
As part of the NZ lighter wine
initiative, Giesen believes the noalcohol
segment of lighter wines
will become a significant part of the
lighter wine category.
Giesen chief winemaker Nikolai
St George comments: “There is
a growing trend towards non-
alcoholic drinks and sales around
the world are growing rapidly as
consumers look to reduce their
alcohol intake for a wide variety of
reasons.
“Boozy long lunches are becoming
a thing of a past - from the rise of
mindful drinking to people looking
for a lighter drop in the evening
after an exercise class, the low and
no-alcohol trend is on the cusp of
mainstream. We are excited about
this innovation and what it means
for our export markets. To be able
to bring Marlborough Sauvignon
Blanc lovers around the world a 0%
version of their favourite varietal is
huge.”
The wine industry is New Zealand’s
seventh largest export sector, worth
more than $1.8 billion per year to
the economy. Worldwide, people
are drawn to Aotearoa’s Sauvignon
Blanc, which tops the charts as the
leading export earner according
to the New Zealand Winegrowers’
2019 Annual Report.
Giesen is a locally-owned, familyoperated
winery entrenched in
the Marlborough wine industry,
with four decades of experience
operating in the region. Constantly
driving innovation, Giesen boasts
a strong range of wine, including
organic and lighter alcohol wine.
Giesen’s history, expertise and
international recognition makes
it the only winery to lead New
Zealand in the world’s first alcoholremoved
Marlborough Sauvignon
Blanc.
“This innovation has been a year
in the making and we will never
compromise on quality. Our
customers demand and expect
the very best - that is why we
have taken extraordinary care
in developing our Giesen 0% -
Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc,
ensuring our customers experience
the premium taste and quality that
they expect from Giesen wines on
any occasion.
“We strongly believe the integrity of
this sees Giesen 0% - Marlborough
Sauvignon Blanc as the very best
alcohol-removed Sauvignon Blanc
available on the market and we
are confident our customers will
agree,” says St George.
NZ wine critic and Master of Wine,
Bob Campbell blind taste-tested
the new Giesen 0% - Marlborough
Sauvignon Blanc against two other
no-alcohol Sauvignon Blanc wines,
saying: “This is a giant leap forward
for 0% alcohol Sauvignon Blanc.
The new Giesen 0% - Marlborough
Sauvignon Blanc tasted like a
Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc
with pronounced passion fruit and
red capsicum flavours. It’s slightly
sweet but dry with a pleasing
sweet/sour tension. This was my
favourite out of the three. I’d very
happily drink it,” says Campbell.
“An added bonus is that Giesen
0% - Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc
is super low in calories, with a
125ml glass containing 85% fewer
calories than a full-strength wine,”
says St George.
Giesen 0% - Marlborough
Sauvignon Blanc is available online
now and will hit retail shelves
in New Zealand from March
2020, before being launched
internationally later in the year.
NEWS