Creme de Languedoc
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The move towards low-alcohol wines

Exceptional wine makers with different agenda

Low alcohol wine in Languedoc

The Pugibet family from near Bezier have been breaking the mould in winemaking for 30 years. First in the department to grow Syrah and Grenache in the early ‘70’s followed by the first Chardonnay in 1980. At that time “our neighbours thought they were varieties of Fig” says Francois Pugibet (63) the father of the team. Then they bought the first mechanical picker in the department in 1980 – this family leads. Mind you they also admit that they had horses working the farm until 1973!

“Do you have good terroir”? I asked – the key question I am often told. “Of course” says son Vincent (33) – “meet my good dog Terroir”! I think he is good so I have “good terroir” he says with a laugh. You gather he doesn’t believe very much in the idea of terroir – good land can make bad wine and bad land good wine – it is nonsense to make this distinction he says.

Vincent is a strategist and after 5 years studying Agricultural Engineering he started by looking at the wine business his father Francois had built from 17 – 52 Ha in the last 20 years. “I noticed that the trend in many drinks in the world was for less alcohol – not no alcohol but the sort of drink which wouldn’t make you tired after lunch”. Lower alcohol beers (3.5%) are now favoured by 85% of French. He also correlated the increase in alcohol content in the wine with the fall in consumption of wine in the South where 9 – 10% used to be the norm. But with newer varieties, more sun and global warming we are now all producing wines of 14% or more. He reckons the strength of wine has increased by 1% every decade in the South - “and I don’t think this strong wine is what the consumer wants”.

He cites the Bezier Feria which each year chooses a Rose to carry the label of the Feria. This year Domaine La Colombette won the honour with a 9% Rose – which instead of the usual 12% – 15,000 bottles normally consumed throughout the celebration, sold an amazing 28,000 bottles during the festivities. “I think they preferred it which is why they bought so much more” says Vincent.

But low alcohol wines mean you have to have good quality wine – and his father says proudly “ we were voted the finest Chardonnay in the world in a blind tasting in Burgundy in 1995 – ahead of the new world wines ” he adds with pride.

They have 3 principles – we don’t make wine for distilling, or wine that is bad for drinking (high alcohol) or 60’s quality wine low in strength and of an awful taste!!

So 5 years ago they decided to go back to producing. They tried cultural methods like harvesting early before the sugars developed but nothing really worked – low sugars led to less good taste in the wine. So they decided to go at it the other way round – remove the alcohol after the wine is made.

The first problem here is the customs regime – you need a licence to produce distilled alcohol. Put down your glass if you are drinking because the next paragraph is wonderful bureaucracy defeated. The Customs said – you can’t have a still without a licence and you can’t have a licence. Vincent made it clear that he was going to make the alcohol so the customs had better come up with a solution. Oh they said – it's farmers who can’t make alcohol. So the family formed a non-farming enterprise and returned to the Customs. Ah said the Customs but you need a bank guarantee – for how much asked the Father and Son – you will have to ask your bank! So they did and the bank thought hard and then said – well what about a €2 guarantee. That’s fine said the Customs – but we will have to come out and stamp your still! Using dies held in a most ancient box, the customs officers stamped the crucial number on the polished stainless steel still!

Then we learn this de-alcoholising process equipment is the only one of its type in the world, made in Italy as a prototype for the Pugibets to prove the principle of the system and the project – though it is thought an Australian vineyard are interested in the second unit of this design..

So how does the wine taste – well different and lighter but not at all like no-alcohol wine, as the alcohol carries much of the more subtle flavours. (Alcohol itself tends to add a slight sweetness which tends to make the wine taste softer.)

The father and son pair feel that wine should be graded for when you use it:

  • 9% is ideal for summer and lunch
  • 11% for dinner and working
  • 14% for the weekend

And they say they are working on a weaker wine for breakfast – I don’t believe this!!

But they insist low-alcohol wine is not new because 50 years ago the common table wine of the South was between 8 and 10% - so really a return to the habits of the past but with a higher quality wine.

Their results are impressive – over 70% exported. Holland leads the list followed by the UK and Switzerland – all countries with little tolerance for drink-driving. Canada and Japan are also good markets with a sizeable amount going to Hong Kong to stock the Cathay Pacific airline. And M&S are showing an interest, as the highest proportion of food shoppers in their stores are women who they believe will welcome a wine with 40% less calories.

Interest has further picked up when wine writer Jancis Robinson suggested that high alcohol was becoming a problem followed by Hugh Johnson who likens high gravity wine to beef with added steroids! That has, as they say, put the cat among the pigeons!

 

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