何为低卡路里葡萄酒？

What is low-calorie wine and how is its calorie content defined? Is there any difference in the brewing process between low-calorie wine and regular wine? This article will provide answers to all these questions!

Enjoying a glass of芬芳美酒 while worrying about its calorie content is somewhat of a mixed experience. However, while the aroma may be irresistible, the thought of 120-130 calories in just 30 milliliters of wine can dampen the enjoyment of its sweet taste.

Thus, low-calorie wine was born. You might worry if this type of wine lacks the subtle and complex flavors of regular wine. The beauty of low-calorie wine lies in the fact that by making small adjustments during the brewing process, its taste is not significantly different from regular wine.

1. Low-Calorie Red and White Wine

Generally, naturally low-calorie wines are dry, with a low alcohol content of around 10%. Alcohol is one of the main sources of calories, with each gram containing 7 calories. In a 30-milliliter serving of wine with an alcohol content of 12%, there are about 14 grams of alcohol, which alone provides over 100 calories. Therefore, cooler regions tend to produce wines with lower calorie content as the grapes grown there have lower sugar content, resulting in less alcohol production during fermentation.

Another source of calories in wine is sugar, with each gram containing 4 calories. Therefore, the lower the residual sugar in wine, the lower the calorie content. According to research by Frank Schieber, a professor at the University of South Dakota, the calorie content of different types of wine can be categorized as follows:

Dry white wines: 1-2 grams per liter

Dry red wines: 2-3 grams per liter

Off-dry wines: 10-30 grams per liter

Ports and sherries: 50-150 grams per liter

Sweet wines: at least 30 grams per liter

In general, white wines from regions such as Gruner Veltliner, dry Riesling, and Muscadet are considered low in calories; while red wines such as Babera, Gamay, and certain Pinot Noir varieties also have lower calorie content.

2. Low-Calorie Sparkling Wine

To understand the calorie content of sparkling wine, it's essential to know how it's made. Briefly, traditional static wine is first produced, followed by a secondary fermentation, and finally, a process called dosage is added before bottling. This dosage process adds more calories to sparkling wine than static wine. Therefore, sparkling wines labeled as "extra dry" will have lower calorie content than those labeled as "dry" or "semi-dry".

For sparkling wines, the dosage provides certain subtle flavors, but in the case of low-calorie sparkling wines, this process adds unnecessary heat. Previously, many were concerned that removing the dosage process during the brewing of low-calorie sparkling wine might result in a loss of flavor. However, a winery in the Champagne region conducted an experiment, brewing a rosé sparkling wine without dosage. The result showed that the natural sugar in the grapes was enough to support the development of complex flavors, indicating that dosage was not necessary.

Currently, there are many styles of low-calorie wine available in the market, with most containing 20% less calories than regular wine and no more than 100 calories per serving. (Written by Louise) As you enjoy your glass of wine, you can now do so without worrying too much about the calorie count!