Enjoyment without alcohol: EUROVINO 2025 picks up on the industry theme of ‘alcohol-free’
Trends such as Dry January and Mindful Drinking, as well as the tradition of Lent, which starts next week, are attracting increasing attention to non-alcoholic beverages.
This development will also be reflected at EUROVINO - Trade Fair for Wine, which will take place on 9 and 10 March 2025 at Messe Karlsruhe and will also be dedicated to non-alcoholic wines and sparkling wines via the exhibitors' product portfolio and especially in the new tasting zone, the Wine Experience – Alcohol-free.
Many people use the start of the year as part of Dry January or Lent as an opportunity to completely abstain from alcohol for a certain period of time. In addition, the mindful drinking trend, which is not about abstaining per se, but rather about more conscious consumption, is moving into focus. As a result, there is growing interest in high-quality and flavorful alternatives that allow enjoyment without alcohol.
The figures reflect this development: according to the latest survey by the German Wine Institute (DWI), the number of buyers of non-alcoholic wines in the retail sector increased by 30 per cent in 2023 compared to the previous year, resulting in a 27 per cent increase in sales. The turnover increased by 54 per cent. ‘Their market share of total wine purchases is still at a low level of around one per cent. Non-alcoholic sparkling wines are already more strongly represented in the sparkling wine market with a 7.4 per cent share,’ explains Ernst Büscher, DWI press spokesman, adding with foresight: ’The non-alcoholic wine & sparkling wine segment will certainly continue to grow in importance over the next few years because it can be used to reach new target groups. This also includes young adults, who will have consumed fewer alcoholic beverages in 2023 than ever before. Wine quality will certainly continue to improve thanks to new technologies and process optimization. We see the gastronomy sector as a key to introducing more consumers to non-alcoholic wines, as they can be savored by the glass.’
Exhibitors at EUROVINO pick up on the trend towards non-alcoholic wines and sparkling wines
At this year's EUROVINO, trade visitors from the retail, catering and hotel sectors will also be able to try out non-alcoholic wines and sparkling wines. Numerous exhibitors have non-alcoholic products in their portfolios and will be presenting their innovations on site: For example, Weingut Langenwalter from the Palatinate will be presenting an alcohol-free Riesling for the first time, Weingut Oliver Zeter, also from the Palatinate, will be presenting a new dealcoholized Sauvignon Blanc, and Weingut Winkler (Palatinate), which is focusing on wines made from Piwi grape varieties at EUROVINO, will be presenting a dealcoholized Piwi wine made from Cabernet Blanc for the first time. The württembergische Sekt- und Weinmanufaktur Stengel Württemberg sparkling wine and wine manufacturer Stengel, on the other hand, will be presenting a new alcohol-free sparkling wine variant. Both alcohol-free sparkling wines and wines can be found at Genossenschaftskellerei Heilbronn (Württemberg), among others, which is expanding its existing alcohol-free program with two new alcohol-free wines, a Zero Sauvignon Blanc and a Zero Cabernet Cubin. Or at SM Sekt Manufaktur (Nahe), which has an alcohol-free sparkling wine line in its portfolio and is presenting its first dealcoholized white wine at EUROVINO. With its alcohol-free products, SM Sekt Manufaktur wants to offer consumers an option for conscious enjoyment, as Managing Director Kai Maschtschenko emphasizes: ‘Mindful drinking and the demand for alcohol-free products influence each other. More and more people are consciously reducing their alcohol consumption, which is increasing interest in high-quality alternatives. Dealcoholized drinks are no longer just a substitute, but a conscious choice for enjoyable conscious choice for enjoyable moments. This trend has accelerated in the last two years in particular.’
The international range at EUROVINO also includes alcohol-free wines and sparkling wines: Wein Wolf, for example, will be showcasing alcohol-free products from Spain, Italy and France, among others, and Riegel Bioweine, which has alcohol-free sparkling wine, white wine, red wine and mulled wine in its range, will be presenting a new alcohol-free Chardonnay from France. Stephan Pellegrini, on the other hand, will be presenting a new non-alcoholic sparkling wine from Italy at EUROVINO. When asked about the current development of alcohol-free wines in Europe, Ana Margareto, Marketing & Purchasing Spain/France at Stephan Pellegrini, summarizes: ‘Germany leads Europe in terms of demand and acceptance of alcohol-free wines. Although countries such as Italy, France and Spain are still reluctant to consume alcohol-free wines domestically, they are positioning themselves as export-orientated producers and are catching up with innovative products. We are very satisfied with the non-alcoholic wine-based products from Luigi Sgarzi and the new non-alcoholic sparkling wine from Villa Sandi, as they meet the needs of our customers perfectly and have received positive feedback.’
Wine Experience is also being expanded to include alcohol-free
In addition to the opportunity to get to know numerous non-alcoholic wines and sparkling wines at the exhibitors' stands, visitors to EUROVINO 2025 will now also have the chance to do so at the Wine Experience – Alcohol-free, one of the tasting zones at EUROVINO. EUROVINO is thus picking up on the current industry theme and the associated needs of the market and giving it even more visibility on site. The Wine Experience - Alcohol-free has been developed in cooperation with Zenotheque from Karlsruhe, a specialist in the alcohol-free sector. Zenotheque will also have a stand at EUROVINO, where it will be presenting a specialty, including a dealcoholized ice wine from the Löffler/Breisgau winery.
The Wine Experience - Alcohol-free has a total of 130 wines and sparkling wines from 58 exhibitors. These can already be discovered in the run-up to the trade fair for wine and beyond in the EUROVINO Wine Guide, EUROVINO's digital wine database. At eurovino.info/weinguide you can search specifically for alcohol-free products. After registration, it is also possible to save selected wines in a watch list and add your own notes.
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About EUROVINO
Located in the center of the four largest German wine-growing regions of Rheinhessen, Pfalz, Baden and Württemberg, EUROVINO is aimed at wine producers, marketers and buyers focusing on the German-speaking and European sales market.
Additional content on EUROVINO is available on the trade fair's website at eurovino.info/en and on the social media channels LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook. Tickets are available at eurovino.info/tickets, identification as a trade visitor is required.
