Low-Alcohol Wine Ban in UK

Filed in archive Wine News on November 5, 2007

I'm used to hearing people gripe about high-alcohol wines, so when I read that the Food Standards Agency in the United Kingdom is considering taking low-alcohol wines off wine lists, I was surprised. The wine in question is Sovio, which was introduced to the market in July. The problems is not so much with the wine itself, but the process by which alcohol reduction takes place. Basically, the liquid is spun at an incredibly high speed until the alcohol separates from the rest of the wine. A small amount of alcohol is returned to the wine and then it is bottled and readied for export. This is an experimental technique which means that under European Union law, the wine cannot be sold in the UK.

From BBC News:

A spokeswoman for the FSA said: "Sovio wines uses an experimental technique called 'spinning cone' which is currently not allowed to be sold in the UK, according to regulations set down by Europe.

"Although currently labelled as 'semi-sparkling' it does not meet the criteria of a wine product.

"If relabelled under a different name, not using the term wine in any way that may cause confusion with wine or table wine produced traditionally, it might be able to be sold in the UK, provided it complies with food labelling legislation."

Obviously, makers of Sovio are unhappy about this, especially since consumers in France, Spain, and other countries can enjoy the beverage. Sovio wines is pursuing a judicial review to change the decision.