Low-alcohol and no-alcohol (technically de-alcoholized) wines are surging in popularity. But French winemaker Jean-Frédéric Hugel wonders whether “no-lo” fans have thought this through, especially those who also push for a greener, cleaner planet.
Hugel is the 13th generation to helm his family’s vineyards and winery in Alsace, where they've been making wine since 1639. He’s also known for enjoying a good joke.
On this year’s April 1, he announced by press release that Famille Hugel was launching its first alcohol-free Riesling, called 0.0. "Riquewihr is undoubtedly the most suitable terroir for making great non-alcoholic wines. Our aim is to rapidly have a wide range of 0.0 wines beyond this Riesling, because all the great grape varieties have the potential. Finally, being the first in Alsace to promote Grands Crus 0.0 would be a real step forward for our region."
As some in the industry wondered if the new product was for real, Hugel responded, “In our eyes, the only true alcohol-free alternative is water.”
Hugel’s objections center on the fact that no-alcohol wines are made by employing highly manipulative industrial processes that consume a lot of energy. Wine is de-alcoholized after fermentation in one of three ways: vacuum distillation, spinning-cone technology or reverse osmosis. However, these processes can strip out aromatics and structure.
Hugel spoke with contributing editor Suzanne Mustacich about this recent trend, his reservations and how he enjoys provoking conversation with an occasional joke.
Wine Spectator: So what was the response to your April Fools’ salvo?
I must say, I have received so many enthusiastic comments that, despite the laugh, it is a bit troubling to see how little people are worried about the processes that go into producing their latest whim and how little they actually care. And I can say that we have a very strong fan base that immediately spotted the ruse. It is a very non-Hugel way of conceiving wine, so most of the true followers are up to speed with what that would mean for Hugel and how impossible it is.
How is the craze for no-lo wines out of step with today's concerns for our planet? Do people not realize that this is an industrial process?
The environment is indeed a major concern of our new generation of customers, and they are right to expect a better, more intelligently produced version of wine. I believe a lot has to do, once again, with information. It is our responsibility to be as transparent as possible as an industry on our processes and let the customers decide. Then I am in no position to tell them what to drink.
But humor is generally a good way to make someone question their choices. And for me, frankly, it’s a game I love to play.
How does no-lo wine production compare with what you and other fine winemakers work so hard to do?
We spend our days trying to preserve the raw material as much as possible, harvesting just [at the right time] to avoid suffering from the dilution of rain or a lack of maturity. [All this] ancestral knowledge, repeated attention and effort—only to rob the wine of a part of itself? What a waste of time! What a lack of consideration for the product! What disrespect for the drinker! Because yes, the best version of wine is still the one with alcohol.
This isn't the first time you've fooled the wine-drinking public into thinking you'd joined the latest wine fad.
It has been a guilty pleasure of mine, I must say, to surf the wine trends and play the devil's advocate for April Fools' Day. We did it with CBD-infused wines, and I believe we will be able to do it again in the future, since all the people seem to want is novelty. And novelty has costs, especially environmental.
I hope to be able to make people think about what they buy and how they buy it.
We have a lot to say still, us dinosaurs of the wine world.
And, of course, there are beautiful wines that are naturally low in alcohol. If a visitor tells you that they’d prefer a wine with a lower alcohol content, what would you pour them at your winery?
I have always been a fervent lover of Muscat, and we make a style that is dry and naturally quite low in alcohol—11 percent to 11.5 percent, most of the time. It is one of the challenges of making wine in the 21st century that climate change is making the alcohol levels rise. It is a fact.
But we are still able to produce wines with freshness and structure. I would say we really are advocating today that you can drink less but better. I actually, truly believe that the best way to consume less alcohol is indeed to drink better, more “cerebral” wines. I typically drink them more slowly, and I need less to feel fulfilled. Alsace has a lot to offer with regard to those.
What is the alternative to highly processed, industrial no-alcohol wines?
In our eyes, the only true alcohol-free alternative is water. And it has the healthiest, lowest carbon footprint.
