While it’s true you can’t make alcohol without sugar, you can still be smart about your consumption of it. In fact, if you’re looking for low-to-no sugar alcohol options, wine is the best place to start.
Wine grapes, like all fruit, naturally contain sugar. During the fermentation process, yeast consumes this sugar to produce alcohol. Any remaining sugar that is left after fermentation is referred to as Residual Sugar (RS), and that’s the sugar you will wind up consuming. In the case of most dry wines, however, RS is often less than 10 g/L (or, less than 2g per 5oz glass!).
There are a number of factors that play into how much residual sugar winds up in your glass of wine.
Alcohol percentage is one determinant. Typically, a wine with higher alcohol will have lower sugar. Though, that’s not always the case.
The ripeness level of the grapes also plays a role. The riper your grapes, the more sugar they contain. Many naturally low sugar wines are picked from the vines early in the season, when sugar is lowest. Sauvignon Blanc is an example of a grape that is typically picked early in the season, when sugar content is low and acidity is high.
Also, regionality has a major influence. Regions that have cooler temperatures tend to produce wines that are lower in sugar and alcohol. Marlborough, New Zealand and Trentino-Alto Adige, Italy are two examples of cool climate wine regions that tend to produce lower sugar wines (like Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Grigio).
Winemaking also plays a part in how much residual sugar winds up in your glass. Many mass-marketed wines add sugar during the winemaking process to create a specific taste profile. In cases like this, you will certainly wind up with high residual sugar levels!
In short, if you’re looking for lower sugar beverages, seek out lighter styles of wines, ideally from cooler climate regions.
Wines with less than 1g of sugar: Our Picks
If you’re looking for a wine with less than 1g of sugar per 5 oz serving, look no further than these amazing options. Even better, they are all under 100 calories, and made using sustainable practices!
Lot 2 Sauvignon Blanc from Marlborough, New Zealand is one of 90+ Cellars best selling wines and also one of our lowest in sugar. Refreshing, with zippy acidity, zesty grapefruit and citrus notes make this light white a classic!
Lot 33 Rose from Languedoc is a quintessential Southern French rosé, bursting with fresh strawberry and citrus notes. If you’re looking for a light all-day summer sipper, this should be at the top of your list! And, in case you’re wondering, you’d have to drink 10 glasses of our Lot 33 Rosé to get to the same amount of sugar as in a can of High Noon. Not that we’re saying you should drink that much…
Lot 42 Pinot Grigio from the cool climate, high elevation vineyards of northeastern Italy is the epitome of fresh and easy-drinking. Notes of plush stone fruit and a racy finish make this wine one of our go-to’s!
Is Prosecco Low in Sugar? YES!
While it may not reach the under 1g level, Lot 50 Prosecco contains less than 2g of sugar per 5 oz serving, making it another winning choice for a low sugar wine. That’s 28% less sugar than the leading Prosecco brand, by the way!
Looking for more low-to-no sugar wines? Find them here.