With all the attention given to healthier lifestyles and foods (and most of it usually ignored), it’s no surprise these also are concerns in the drinks world. The big news recently has been the hard seltzers and their lower alcohol levels.
Now, low alcohol, sugar and calorie wines are emerging to present themselves as healthier alternatives for the calorie conscious, though there is no legal or agreed-upon definition of “low”. They also often stress sustainability or transparency in ingredient labeling as selling points. For the most part, this is just marketing, wine’s answer to hard seltzers. While there are things you can do in the vineyard to yield lower alcohol, most of these wines are manipulated in the cellar to achieve the desired result.
Here, I offer wines to satisfy your preference from four of the best producers in the famed Mosel River Valley – Dr. Loosen, Maximin Grünhaus, Fritz Haag, and Zilliken – and a top Rheingau producer Robert Weil). These are classic, light-bodied Rieslings that help you reduce calories while still enjoying a real product of nature – something grown, not manufactured.
I prefer naturally low alcohol wines like German Riesling. Slightly sweet wines come in at 8-9 percent alcohol, off-dry ones around 11 percent, and dry wines at 12 percent. Most table wines these days have 13-15 percent alcohol. Depending on your preference, all are ideal refreshers for the summer heat: crisp, juicy and balanced. They also are model wines for health-conscious drinkers – and the budget-conscious.
These dry wines will give you about 120 calories per 5-ounce glass.
- 2019 Dr. L Dry ($12) juicy green apple with spicy-steely finish
- 2019 Dr. Loosen Red Slate ($18) name refers to its soils; brisk-tart lime, green apple
- 2019 Maximin Grünhäus MAXiMiN ($16) from the Ruwer tributary of the Mosel; round, juicy, apple, citrus, steely, spicy
- 2019 Robert Weil Trocken ($20) detailed, juicy, peach, citrus, mineral
These off dry wines have about ten fewer calories.
- 2019 Fritz Haag Estate ($20) fresh apple, lightly spicy
- 2019 Zilliken Butterfly ($22) from the Saar tributary; like biting into a ripe Granny Smith apple
- 2019 Robert Weil Tradition ($20) brisk grapefruit, lemon, mineral
These slightly sweet wines come in about 100 calories.
- 2019 Zilliken Estate ($22) lively, mineral, spicy, citrus, apricot
- 2020 Dr. L Riesling ($12) racy, apple, peach, yet elegant
Finally, also in the slightly sweet category, are Kabinett wines. While their higher price requires a bit more commitment, these single vineyard wines are more distinctively complex.
- 2019 Maximin Grünhäus Herrenberg ($34) amazingly bright, delicate, defined, flinty, tangy, citrus, peach, tangerine
- 2019 Fritz Haag Brauneberger Juffer $26) intense, brisk, citrus, apple, stony, lushly elegant
- 2019 Dr. Loosen Wehlener Sonnenuhr ($28) aromatic, crisp, pure apple, citrus, peach, spicy, mineral
As a bonus, all these wines are ideal for the lighter foods of summer: sushi, shellfish, grilled fish, as well as most Asian and chicken dishes, and even spicy foods.