Not much beats sharing a bottle with friends, but, if we’re being honest, even a single glass of wine affects us more than we’d like to admit – especially those of us navigating the joys of perimenopause.
Dodgy sleep, palpitations, and a plummeting tolerance... we just can’t handle it like we used to.
As a 48-year-old wine lover who has built a career tasting multiple bottles a week, this truth hits particularly hard. So, I’ve been intrigued by a fast-growing trend: mid-strength wine.
Bottles of this typically come in at between 6 and 9% ABV (alcohol by volume; wine usually hovers at around 13.5%).
According to Ocado, UK sales have increased by 71 per cent in just two years with searches up by 400 per cent.
The trend started in Australia, where big brands like McGuigan were quick to spot the potential given the popularity of the mid-strength beer market over there.
The boom is driven by three things: a cultural shift towards drinking less; a UK tax system that now rewards lower ABVs; and, most crucially for me, a quality gap in the no/low wine category that ‘mid wine’ fills neatly. The potential health benefits are sizeable too. If your wine is 7% instead of 13.5%, that’s 0.88 units per 125ml glass rather than 1.7.
It may not sound like much, but it adds up: a regular-strength bottle pours six glasses, so finish one and you’ve already had over ten units – almost your entire recommended weekly limit allowance of 14.
As a 48-year-old wine lover who has built a career tasting multiple bottles a week, Helena Nicklin has been intrigued by the fast-growing trend of mid-strength wine
The boom for 'mid wine' is driven by a cultural shift towards drinking less, a tax system that rewards lower ABVs and a quality gap in the no/low wine category that it fills neatly
With mid-strength wine, however, you’d need to drink two whole bottles (12 glasses) to use up the same 14 units.
But don’t assume this means fewer calories. De-alcoholised wines are often pumped full of sugar to replace the body and mouth-feel of the missing booze, so the calorie count will often be the same, or sometimes even higher, than a fully alcoholic wine.
This is where seeking out companies whose main focus is mid wines – like 6Percent, Wednesday’s Domaine and Seven Summers – can make a real difference. They tend to be better quality (and, therefore, often need less added sugar) as they don’t just reformulate regular wines.
I asked Master of Wine Ray O’Connor, from Atelier Wines, the company behind Seven Summers, what the secret to a good mid wine was.
‘You have to start with something of even higher quality,’ he says. ‘We took a gold medal-winning rosé packed with great fruit intensity. This meant that after removing part of the alcohol, we still had lots of freshness and elegance in the wine.’
This, as well as significant extra work that goes into producing it, means mid wines aren’t necessarily cheaper, despite lower ABVs, but I’ve found paying that bit extra for the more expensive bottles is often worth it.
In my experience, mid wines can still be a bit hit and miss, though less so than the 0% options, here are my favourites...
Seven Summers by Dame Jessica Ennis-Hill
7summers.co.uk, 7% ABV, £12.50
Crisp and saline, this Provencal pink – launched by Olympic legend Jessica Ennis-Hill just last month – is hands down the best I’ve tried. There’s none of that unfresh, cooked note that de-alcoholisation can give and all the hallmarks you’d want from a Provence wine.
Petit Rosé by Kylie
Tesco, 7% ABV, £8
This sparkling mid-strength pink is sweet, like a grown-up soft drink, and quite generic but easy-drinking and inexpensive.
Casillero del Diablo BeLight Rosé
Morrisons, 8% ABV, £7.50
Low-alcohol and low-calorie, this Chilean brand has done a very good job here. It’s fresher than many with some pleasant, raspberry flavours that get better after the first few sips.
6Percent Sauvignon Blanc
6percent.wine and Ocado, 6% ABV, £15.99
6Percent only make mid wines, all hailing from Bordeaux. This Sauvignon starts a bit smoky and guava-like but freshens up with a bit of swirling in the glass.
McGuigan Mid Shiraz
Morrisons, 7% ABV, £7.25
The OG of mid wines, this is jammy and easy-going. Not the most sophisticated and you can tell it is low ABV, but it’s highly glugable.
Taste the Difference, Mid Strength Val de Loire Blanc
Sainsbury’s, 8.5% ABV, £7.75
Sainsbury’s was quick to jump on mid wines and this is a goodie: a searingly fresh, crisp Sauvignon. Clean and very lean.
Wednesday’s Domaine ‘Boisé’
wednesdaysdomaine.com, 6.5% ABV, £18.99
One of the very first no/low wine producers, this brand feels premium. Boisé, meaning ‘oaked’, is a Spanish Tempranillo that gives young Rioja vibes. A little rustic but decent.
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