Winemakers can benefit from BevZero’s Alcohol Adjustment service to help with the effects of rising temperatures.

As the world grapples with the escalating effects of climate change, few industries remain untouched by its far-reaching impacts. The wine industry, in particular, is experiencing significant shifts due to rising temperatures. These changes not only challenge traditional viticulture practices but also push winemakers to adapt in order to maintain the quality and character of their wines. Central to this adaptation is the innovative approach of companies like BevZero, which offers specialized services to adjust alcohol content, thereby helping wines retain balance and finesse in a changing climate, allowing them to continue to grow in hotter regions.

The Influence of Heat on Grape Cultivation

Grapes are remarkably sensitive to their climatic conditions, with temperature being a critical factor in their growth cycle. As global temperatures rise, grape-growing regions are reporting earlier harvests, alterations in sugar accumulation, and changes in the organic acids within the grapes. This can lead to higher alcohol levels in wine, which may overpower the delicate balance of flavors and aromas, making the wine less enjoyable or characteristic of its varietal.

The key issues with rising temperatures include:

• Accelerated Ripening: Higher temperatures can lead to faster ripening, reducing the window for grapes to develop a full spectrum of flavors and aromas.
• Sugar Concentration: Increased heat generally causes grapes to produce more sugar, which ferments into higher alcohol content. This can result in wines that are heavier and less refreshing.
• Altered Acidity: Warm conditions tend to decrease the acidity of grapes, a cornerstone for the freshness and structure of a wine.

BevZero’s Role in Harmonizing Wine Profiles

In response to these challenges, BevZero provides a critical service for winemakers: alcohol adjustment. This process, also known as alcohol removal or reduction, involves extracting alcohol from wine to achieve a desired level that complements its flavor profile without compromising the overall quality of the wine.  BevZero uses advanced technologies to adjust alcohol levels, employing a low temperature vacuum distillation method. This technique gently removes alcohol while preserving the essential characteristics that define a wine’s uniqueness

BevZero’s technology offers several benefits:

• Taste and Balance Restoration: By reducing the alcohol content, wines can regain the balance between alcohol, acidity, tannins, and aromatics, which might be skewed by excessive heat during grape maturation.
• Consumer Preferences: There is a growing trend toward lower-alcohol wines, driven by consumer preferences for healthier lifestyle choices. BevZero’s services align well with this market shift.
• Regulatory Compliance: In some regions, legal limits on alcohol levels in wines require adjustments to comply with local and international standards.

Hitting the Sweet Spot for Alcohol Levels

In addition to alcohol adjustment service, BevZero offers a complimentary “Sweet Spot” consultation. In a Sweet Spotting Consultation, the winemaker visits BevZero where they taste a series of wines starting with the original product and work through increments of slightly adjusted alcohol levels to determine their desired final product.   This precise adjustment of your wine’s alcohol content can achieve harmony and balance with all the other components of the wine (the “sweet spot”).

Conclusion

The ongoing climate crisis poses undeniable challenges to traditional winemaking, urging industry professionals to explore innovative solutions. BevZero’s alcohol adjustment service is a pivotal tool for winemakers aiming to produce balanced and characterful wines in the face of rising temperatures. Being able to find tune alcohol levels during or after fermentation allows for picking decisions based on flavor development, pH, and phenolic maturity without having to pick early because of high Brix.

For more information on BevZero’s alcohol adjustment services and other services view our webpage or email us at info@bevzero.com.   

For additional resources to guard your wine against excessive heat, consider BevZero’s tank cladding solution.