If consumers are drinking less alcohol, how can wineries make sure they’re still choosing wine?
Matt Hughes, General Manager of Solos Technology USA, a company that specializes in patented natural aroma recovery and dealcoholization technology, says, “If you look across the non-alcoholic beverage space, consumers have so many options, from flavored waters to iced tea to functional beverages; the list of choices is endless.”
“That’s why we believe the Solos technology is the answer,” he adds. “It lets wineries preserve the terroir and the signature of their winemakers, which are the stories that make wine so magical.” In addition to preserving the identity and quality of the original wines, the Solos technology also gives wineries a strategic opportunity to reach new consumers and expand their portfolios.
Solos’ founder and President, Claudia Geyer, and co-founder Dr. Alexander Hässelbarth developed their innovative Solos Aroma Recovery System (ARS) technology after years of research into how aromas could be captured and preserved.
“This was at the time when the world was talking about sustainable solutions,” says Geyer. “Our research showed that most of the aroma is lost with the ethanol during the dealcoholization of wine, beer and spirits. So our challenge was to filter the aroma from the alcoholic side streams. Our first ‘Aha!’ moment came when we recovered an aroma so intense and authentic that we couldn’t believe it. As we held that very first extract in our hands, we knew that it was something remarkable.”
Solos ARS technology does not try to capture the wine’s aroma and flavor during dealcoholization. Instead, it first removes the alcohol, then recovers these volatile compounds from the distillate or ethanol fraction produced during dealcoholization. The resulting concentrated solution is then added back into the dealcoholized wine.
As Hughes describes this natural, clean label approach, “we’re returning the soul, the character of the original aroma flavor profile to the wine.” It also elevates the quality of dealcoholized wines above many on the market, increasingly a key differentiator in the no- and low-alcohol (NOLO) market.
In addition to selling ARS technology for in-house use, Solos supports wineries in making NOLO wines at its North American headquarters in Hopland, CA. The 9,000-square-foot production facility supports both pilot-scale development and full-scale production, with an annual capacity of up to four million gallons.
Solos also has service centers outside the US, including Spain, Germany and Switzerland, that let wineries ship bulk wine for dealcoholization, production, bottling and sale in nearby markets, lowering expansion costs outside North America by removing the need to ship bottled product. These centers also support wineries expanding into the alcohol-free white-label and private-label wine segment.
“We help wineries find new ways to bring their reputation to the NOLO table,” says Iria Barbosa Catala, Solos’ Global Marketing Manager. “Wines developed with Solos are now being served in Michelin-starred restaurants.” They are also winning acclaim, with Zeronimo recognized among the Best Non-Alcoholic Wines by USA TODAY, Paragraph selected as the Best Non-Alcoholic Red Wine by Rolling Stone, and Nett winning the BREAKAWAY Pinot Blanc awarded Grand Gold at Mundus Vini.
To learn more about how Solos’ Aroma Recovery System can get you started making higher-quality NOLO wines, email Matt Hughes at matt.hughes@prodalim.com.
