What a dealcoholised wine may contain
Since late 2021, the EU's common rules for wine (Regulation (EU) 1308/2013, as amended by Regulation (EU) 2021/2117) allow several of the wine categories in Annex VII, Part II, to be dealcoholised, and Annex VIII sets out the permitted methods.
Once the alcohol is removed, the product is still wine. It may only undergo the oenological practices and contain the substances authorised for wine, listed in Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/934. It may be sweetened with grape must or rectified concentrated grape must, and carbon dioxide may be added. Stabilisers and preservatives authorised in wine are also allowed, such as gum arabic, sulphur dioxide, potassium sorbate or dimethyl dicarbonate (E-242). The European Commission confirmed this in its questions and answers on dealcoholisation (C/2024/694).
When it becomes a wine-based drink
If the ingredients list includes something those rules do not provide for, the product is no longer wine in legal terms, even if it is made almost entirely from wine. On the labels we have checked, the usual reasons are:
- added flavourings that do not come from the wine itself;
- glycerol (E-422), which adds a sense of body;
- water;
- colourings;
- preservatives not authorised in wine, such as sodium benzoate (E-211).
Producers then use names such as "bebida a base de vino desalcoholizado" (a drink made from dealcoholised wine) or "bebida aromatizada a base de vino" (a flavoured wine-based drink). Since 18 March 2026, Regulation (EU) 2026/471 has also allowed aromatised wine products to be made from dealcoholised wine, under their own names.
What changes on the label from 2027
The same Regulation (EU) 2026/471 sets the label terms from 19 September 2027: "alcohol-free" only up to 0.5% vol, and "0.0%" only if the product does not exceed 0.05% vol. On noalc every listing carries the label "up to 0.5%": the strength on a label has a tolerance, so we treat all products the same way.
What it means when you buy
This is not about quality. A wine-based drink can be very well made and be exactly what someone wants, perhaps something more aromatic or fuller in body. The difference lies in what it contains and what it may be called. That is why we mark these products "Wine-based drink" on noalc, and you can filter by type in the catalogue.
How we check
We read the name and the ingredients list on the label, the producer's product sheet and the data the brand publishes in the AECOC catalogue. If we cannot find an ingredients list, the listing stays marked as awaiting verification until we have one. If you spot something that does not add up, let us know and we will look again.
