Sugar Free Wines

Defining Sugar Free Wine

With the continuing popularity of the Keto (short for ketogenic) diet, and other diet plans, we’ve been asked quite a bit lately if we have sugar free wine. Those watching their weight with this and other low-carb diets want to know how many carbs are in that glass of wine, and will one or two glasses ruin my progress? Others are looking to reduce their intake of residual sugar in wine as it can be a potential cause of hangovers, or they are on a medically restricted diet. We’ve got the low down on residual sugar in wine and a list of our top sugar free wines.

What is a Keto Diet?

According to WebMD: “Ketogenic” is a term for a low-carb diet (like the Atkins diet). The idea is for you to get more calories from protein and fat and less from carbohydrates. When you eat less than 50 grams of carbs a day, your body eventually runs out of fuel (blood sugar) it can use quickly. This typically takes 3 to 4 days. Then you’ll start to break down protein and fat for energy, which can make you lose weight. This is called ketosis.

What is Residual Sugar and Why is it in Wine?

Wine is a fermented beverage and begins of course with a base of grapes, which are naturally high in carbohydrates due to their sugar content (glucose and fructose). During the fermentation process, the yeast eats the sugar, and produces alcohol, heat and CO2 (bubbles). Any leftover sugar creates the overall carbohydrate content of the wine. Sweet wines, such as Port or dessert wines, have a high carbohydrate content. The sweeter the wine (or other type of alcohol), the higher the carbohydrates. But dry wines, with little or no residual sugar, have lower carbs. These wines that are “fully fermented,” where virtually all sugars are consumed, have the lowest carbohydrate count.

Will Drinking a Glass of Wine Take You Out of Ketosis?

From an article in Elite Daily: According to Atkins nutritionist Colette Heimowitz, drinking alcohol isn’t going to stop ketosis altogether: “The liver can make ketones out of alcohol,” she tells Elite Daily. “So technically, when you drink, you’ll continue to produce ketones and [thus] will remain in ketosis. In other words, having one glass of wine isn’t going to erase all the progress your body’s made in its transition. It will, however, take things down a notch.”

So what’s a Keto wine lover to do? Drink dry wine that is fully fermented, with little to no residual sugar. The standard definition of “sugar free wine” is anything that is statistically sugar free, at 1 g/l or less residual sugar. Our sugar free wines have anywhere from .1-1 g/l residual sugar and .015-.15 carbs per 5oz serving. While saying they are “carb free” is pushing the definition, these come as close as you can get.

Calculating calories in wine

We use the following calculation from Decanter to calculate the number of grams of alcohol in a bottle or glass of wine, use this formula:

volume (ml) x alcohol (ABV %) x 8
1000

Multiplying this answer by seven will give you the approximate calorie content.

Using this model, a standard bottle of wine at 750ml with an Alcohol by Volume (ABV) of 12.5% would have approximately 525 calories. With approximately 5, 5oz servings of wine per 750ml bottle, that means there would be an estimated 105 calories per glass. We used this calculation to determine the calories in each of our sugar free wines.

Another important observation brought up by Decanter regarding residual sugar vs., calories:

“One other point to bear in mind is that a dry wine may not always be the best choice for a low-calorie option: a sweeter wine with low alcohol (like a German Kabinett Riesling) could be lower in calories than a high-alcohol dry white, because the residual sugar is a less-concentrated source of carbohydrate than alcohol, at four calories per gram.

Our Organic Sugar Free Wines

Les Hauts de Lagarde Bordeaux Blanc

France-Sauvignon Blanc & Semillon-a delicious, packed with apricot, apple and pear fruits, tangy & freshly fruity. Enjoy with Vegetable Platters, Oysters, Seafood, Fish, Appetizers, Grilled Salmon, Crottin de Chavignol (Mild goat) cheese.

Les Hauts de Lagarde Bordeaux Rouge

France-Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc-Attractive structured tannins and red fruits with acidity, dusty structure and perfumed finish. Pair with blue, washed rind cheeses, red meat, poultry, pasta dishes.

En Mémoire du Malbec

France-100% Malbec-Fresh and open-knit, with raspberry and cherry preserve flavors laced with a hint of white pepper and a flash of bramble. Enjoy with Crudités, your favorite cheese or beef dishes.

La Joly

France-95% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Malbec-50-year-old parcel of Cabernet Sauvignon, aged in large wooden barrels for two years. Black currants, crisp acidity and firm tannins. Pair with BBQ, Red meat, & cheese.

Chateau de Lagarde Cuvee Prestige Blanc

France-Sauvignon Blanc and Semmillon-A bouquet of flowers and ripe fruits, along with honey and brioche. The mouth is round and silky, underlined by a nice fresh finale. Enjoy with Salmon tartare, goat cheese salad, crab, & grilled fish

Biokult Red Blend

Austria-Biodynamic-Pinot Noir & Zweigelt-Deep ruby color. Crushed raspberry & graphite aromas, soft, satiny entry to a dry-yet-fruity medium body with a delicate touch of spice and crabapple. Pair with spicy fish, noodles, rice, poultry and meat.

Chianti Naturale

Italy-No Sulfites Added, Sangiovese, Canaiolo & Merlot-Ruby red color. Aromas of red fruits, hints of spice and cigar box. Succulent red cherry, harmonic and well balanced Italian Chianti. Ideal with first courses, white meats and cheeses.

Koyle Costa La Flor

Chile-100% Sauvignon Blanc-Starts with tangy freshness. Flavors of lemon peel, white peach & powdered ginger. Well balanced, with mineral acidity. Delightful with oysters, fresh crab, grilled fish, sushi & sashimi.

Azul de Bobal

Spain-100% Bobal-Dark cherry color. Fragrant aromas of black cherries with chocolate notes. Pleasantly acid and tannic. Rich and concentrated, but very fresh. Pair with Spanish cured ham & cheeses, roasted meats and meat stews.