Top 10 low-calorie wines

Counting the calories after an indulgent festive period? This selection of low-cal wines could help maintain your virtue.

A trend for lighter, lower calorie wines has quickly gathered pace in the US and UK, with the category gradually overcoming its poor image which has in the past been recognised as a barrier to success.

As reported by the drinks business late last year, one in four bottles of “premium” Californian Pinot Noir and Chardonnay underwent the industrial alcohol removal process supplied by ConeTech in the past year. UK supermarket Sainsbury’s has committed to doubling its lighter alcohol range by 2020, slashing the abv on its own-brand Prosecco earlier this year. While the New Zealand the wine industry is ploughing £8.5m into increasing its “skinny” wine output due to increasing consumer demand for lower alcohol wines.

While low-cal wines have no set industry standard, they are generally at least 15% lighter than the standard 120 to 130 calories found in a typical 150ml serving.

Discover five of the lowest calorie wines in the world by watching the video below:

Skinny Girl – 100 calories per 148ml serve, 12% abv

Widely credited with kick-starting a trend for low-calorie drinks, Skinnygirl was launched in 2009 by chef, author and TV star Bethenny Frankel. Each of its three wines contain just 100 calories per 148ml with a 12% abv.

The trio comprises a Californian white blend, red blend and a rosé with each retailing for US$15. The brand is now owned by Fortune Brands following Frankel’s sale of Skinnygirl to the group, which owns Jim Beam Bourbon, in March 2011 for US$8.1 million.

Jacob’s Creek Cool Harvest – 100 calories per 120ml serve, 10.5% abv

Launched in 2012, Jacob’s Creek Cool Harvest Range is produced from early picked grapes which are harvested at night, according to the brand owner, Pernod Ricard.

When launching the range Jacob’s Creek said it was making a conscious decision to emphasise its “light and fresh” style, instead of aligning itself directly with the lower alcohol wine sector.

The range comprises a Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio and Shiraz rosé with between 9.5% and 10.5% abv, and as a result a lower calorie content compared to the standard offering.

Gia by Gia Copolla – less than 100 calories per 148ml serve, 11.5% abv

Gia by Coppola wine range

Francis Ford Coppola launched a lower alcohol wine range called Gia, named after his granddaughter, early last year.

Corey Beck, Francis Ford Coppola’s winemaker, worked alongside Gia for several months to create the wines.

Commenting on the process, Beck said: “We intentionally crafted them to be lower in alcohol, with each one at a mere 11.5%, and, as a result, low in calories – a quality that appeals to Gia and offers consumers fun, approachable wines.”

Comprising a Frizzante Chardonnay, a Pinot Grigio and a Pinot Noir, the wines are all priced at US$13.99 and can be bought in the US through the Gia Wines website.

The Skinny Vine – 95 calories per 148ml serve, 7.3 to 8.5% abv

Launched in 2013 by Treasury Wine Estates, The Skinny Vine is a Californian sourced range of wines designed to appeal directly to calorie-conscious wine drinkers in the US. The product is backed by celebrity nutritionist and author of Skinny Chicks Eat Real Food, Christine Avanti.

The Skinny Vine ranges comprises a Slim Chardonnay (8.5% abv), Mini Moscato (7.3% abv) and Thin Zin (7.5% abv).

Brancott Estate Flight Song range – 88 calories per 148ml serve, 9% abv

Brancott Estate’s low-cal Flight Song range launched in 2014 following a decade of research by the Marlborough-based winery. Carrying 20% fewer calories compared with its standard varietal counterparts, the wines are produced from grapes harvested earlier in the season when their sugar levels are naturally lower, leading to a wine lower in calories.

The Brancott Estate Flight Song range includes a premium Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc and a Marlborough Pinot Grigio which both retail at US$14.99.

The Light Grape – 80 calories per 148ml serve, 8.5%

Launched in the US by Accolade Wines, Light Grape carries just 80 calories per 148ml serving, undercutting one of its primary US rivals Skinnygirl which carries 100 calories.

Four wines are currently being offered under The Light Grape: a Chardonnay; a rosé; a white blend (made from Pinot Grigio and Viognier), and a red blend containing Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Syrah. Priced at US$12 per bottle, The Light Grape is pitched between its two major competitors, The Skinny Vine, which has an RRP of $11 and Skinnygirl, which sells for $15.

Weight Watchers – 75 calories per 125ml serve, 8.5% abv

Comprising a white with 8.5% abv and a rosé with 9%, Weight Watchers’ wines are “medium-sweet” and employ Weight Watchers’ points scheme with each glass carrying two points.

Banrock Station Light – 56 calories per 125ml serve, 5.5% abv

Launched in 2011 to tap into the rapidly-growing lighter drinking category, Accolade Wines’ Banrock Station Light comes in at 5.5% abv and carries just 56 calories per 125ml serve – 30% less than its standard counterparts.

The range currently features a Chardonnay Sauvignon Blanc and a Shiraz Rosé.

Mateus Light – 44 calories per 100ml serve, 5.5%

The new Mateus Light range on show at London Wine Fair

Mateus unveiled a range of low alcohol wines in June 2014 – its second new range to launch in 2014 with owner Sogrape pledging to invest £2 million in the UK alone.

The 5.5% abv white, rosé and sparkling styles within this Mateus Light collection follow the launch in March of Mateus Expressions, a four-strong range of wines that each blends an international variety with a Portuguese grape. Both ranges mark a shift away from the distinctive flask shaped bottle of Mateus The Original, which remains a core product for the brand.

The new Mateus Light range is made using spinning cone technology to remove alcohol, before the end product is blended back into the original wine. The range carries an RRP of around £4.49 for the white and rosé expressions, while the sparkling is about £6.99.

Torres Natureo de-alcoholised Muscat – 19 calories per 100ml serve, 0.5% abv

Launched in 2008, Natureo is produced by Spanish winemaker Torres and has been stripped of its alcohol content, and therefore calories. At just 0.5% abv, and therefore not strictly a wine, the product contains just 20 calories a glass.

Natureo’s white expression, made with Moscatel, was introduced first and has since been joined by a red and rosé.