The term "dealcoholized wine" refers to a type of wine from which most or all of the ethyl alcohol (ethanol) present has been removed. This process is done to reduce the alcohol content of the wine, making it less alcoholic and, consequently, less strong.
There are several techniques for dealling wine, including:
-
Vacuum Evaporation: In this process, the wine is heated to a temperature below the boiling point of the alcohol under vacuum, allowing the alcohol to evaporate while the water remains. The vaporized alcohol is then condensed and removed.
-
Reverse osmosis: This technique uses osmotic pressure to separate the alcohol from the water in wine. The wine is passed through a semi-permeable membrane that retains the alcohol while allowing water to pass through.
-
Reverse Osmosis Membranes: This is a variation of reverse osmosis where wine is passed through specially designed membranes to separate the alcohol from the water.
-
Freezing: In this process, the wine is frozen, and the alcohol, which has a lower freezing point than water, is removed when the wine is partially solidified.
The decision to deglaze a wine often depends on the producer or consumer preferences. De-alcoholized wines tend to have lower alcohol content, which can make them lighter and lower in calories. However, the removal of alcohol can also affect the flavor and balance of the wine, so it is important to consider the effects on organoleptic characteristics before choosing a dealcoholised wine.