The picture shows wines that will be in K-stores when the law change comes into force. Wind Lindgren
The government’s bill to the parliament is bringing 8% wines to grocery stores. The alcoholic beverage company Anora has been preparing for the change in alcohol legislation for a long time and plans to introduce several familiar brands such as Chill Out, Expedition, ILO, Lindeman’s and Two Oceans wines to stores at 8 percent.
The wines that come to grocery stores either already have 8 percent alcohol content or they are partially dealcoholized.
Avoid sugar
The majority of Anora’s own brand 8% wines are produced in Rajamäki. At Rajamäki, Anora’s three-person product development team uses a method that evaporates part of the alcohol in the finished wine.
When the wine arrives at Rajamäki, the product development team performs technical analyzes on it, where laboratory tests ensure that the product meets the specifications. The drink is also analyzed sensory-wise.
After the checks, the wine is pumped into Rajamäki’s warehouse and stabilized if necessary. Then the product development team follows the recipes: the wine is dealcoholized to the desired percentage and, if necessary, sugar is added.
– We try to avoid adding sugar and make our own drinks as dry as possible, says the senior portfolio manager responsible for product development of 8% wines Markus Hannula.
In practice, adding sugar refers to a concentrate made from the same grapes.
– A completely new and unique wine category is opening up to Finnish consumers, and we believe this will increase Finns’ interest in wines, says Hannula.
The taste positively surprises
So what do 8% wines taste like?
Chill Out Chardonnay and Magyar Feher Bor, produced in Rajamäki, surprise at first sip. These are dry and taste unmistakably like ordinary wine. So the surprise is positive. I can well imagine either of these 8% white wines with summer salads or fish dishes.
Chill Out wines are made in Rajamäki. Wind Lindgren
Alcohol-free and low-alcohol red wines are known to bear little resemblance to real red wine in taste. Compared to my previous experiences, Chill Out Merlot and Chill Out Cabernet can change the image.
The wines have the taste of real red wine, which is a positive surprise, but compared to ordinary red wines, a certain warmth and fullness of red wine is still missing. This must be a fact that cannot be over or around when the wine is lower in alcohol.
Some of Anora’s wines are produced at partners’ premises. These include Two Oceans Moscato, Lindeman’s Moscato and Castello del Poggio sweet rosé. All of these wines emphasize sweetness, which is quite dominant, but works, for example, at a picnic or with Asian dishes.
Familiar brands and something for everyone
In addition to liquor stores, preparations have also been made in the trade sector for the upcoming law change. Kesko has been working for a long time to form its future selection of 8% wines.
When the law change is implemented, familiar wine brands from Alko’s best-selling wine lists, such as Duas Uvas, Gato Negro and Vina Maipo, will be on the shelves of K-shops. The main focus in the stores will be on white and sparkling wines, but red wines have not been forgotten either.
Kespro’s wine expert Vesa Kaukjärvi says that although the majority of 8% wines are sweet or semi-sweet, there are also options for lovers of drier wines.
– For example, the Spanish Hola! sparkling wine has 10 grams of sugar per liter, Kaukjärvi says.
Its taste turns out to be pleasant, fruity and acidic. Certainly a good companion drink for, say, Midsummer, if the wines can already be found in stores then.