Alcohol-free wine in Spain: growth, challenges and perspectives

“When we take alcohol out of wine, we take away life, soul and history.” Josep Roca, co-owner and sommelier of Celler de Can Roca, didn’t mince his words at the inaugural Mediterranean Wines Symposium in Perelada this March. His remark stirred debate, exposing the deep divisions around non-alcoholic wines.

Yet against all odds, this category isn’t going unnoticed.  The IWSR, an authority on alcohol-related data, forecasts 5% annual global growth for no-alcohol wine between 2024 and 2028, with Spain ranking in the top 10 markets, together with Australia, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, Japan, South Africa, UK and US.

Major trade fairs are taking note. At Barcelona Wine Week 2025, non-alcoholic wines featured in the ‘macrotrends’ section, where experts discussed the “perspectives and flavours setting the trend.”

Among them was Irem Eren —WSET educator and editor, wine judge, and former business development director at BevZero— who sees strong potential in Spain. "It is still in its early growth phase but expanding quickly," she explains. "While exact figures vary, estimates suggest that the no- and low-alcohol category in Spain is growing at double-digit rates annually. Spanish producers are starting to make a mark internationally, particularly in European and North American markets."

Some basics on de-alcoholised wine

Although definitions vary, the OIV describes non-alcoholic wine as a "beverage obtained by de-alcoholisation of wine," produced exclusively from wine or special wine as defined by the International Code of Oenological Practices (ICoOP).  The wine must undergo a specific dealcoholisation treatment in accordance with ICoOP standards and contai less than 0.5% abv.

Accordingly, in Spain, wines with up to 0.5% abv can be labelled ‘alcohol-free’. However, a newdraft EU regulation proposes clearer consumer labelling: reserving ‘alcohol-free’ for wines up to 0.5% abv and introducing 0.0% for products containing no more than 0.05% or 0.1% abv. 

In any case, de-alcoholised wine is different from so-called 'wine proxies', drinks made from tea, juice, spices and bitters, looking to create a wine-like beverage. 

The two main de-alcoholisation methods are vacuum distillation and membrane separation. Reverse osmosis is the most common membrane-based technique, which uses a semipermeable membrane to gradually extract alcohol while preserving water and flavour compounds. Vacuum distillation, on the other hand, lowers the boiling point of alcohol by applying reduced pressure, allowing it to be removed at lower temperatures.

An advanced version, spinning sone column (SCC) technology, uses rotating cones to gently separate volatile compounds and remove alcohol with minimal flavour loss. The latest-generation of vacuum-based techniques includes GoLo, developed by the leading beverage technology specialists BevZero, which operates in a single continuous process instead of several batches, and the next-generation single-pass ClearAlc system by Tomsa Destil, also distributed by BevZero, which allows to extract four fractions of flavour compounds. SCC and vacuum distillation are currently the most widely used de-alcoholisation methods amongst Spanish producers.

Spain’s evolving no-alcohol wine scene

So who are the key players shaping Spain’s non-alcoholic wine movement—and how central is this category to their business? According to IWSR, Familia Torres leads the way in Europe, holding 12% of market share by value and 8% by volume. In 2024, the group was named  “Best International Producer” at the prestigious Mundus Vini Non-Alcoholic competition. Mireia Torres, fifth generation and head of knowledge and innovation, remembers pitching the idea to her father, Miguel A. Torres, in the mid-2000s. “He looked at me like I’d lost my mind —but gave me carte blanche to run some tests.” The first Natureo wine, vintage 2007, launched in 2008. Today, the range includes six still and sparkling wines made from varieties such as Moscatel, Chardonnay, Garnacha, Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah, among others, and now accounts for 10% of global sales, mostly exports.

Another major wine name embracing non-alcoholic wine is Gil Family Estates, known for their Jumilla range and strong presence across Spain. Their Disfrutand0,0 range, launched in 2023, includes a white Verdejo, a Monastrell-Syrah red, a still rosé, and two sparkling wines. Fourth-generation Miguel Gil says the category already represents 5% of Gil Family Estates production —out of more than 8 million bottles—and could reach 8% by late 2025, driven by soaring demand abroad. 

Vintae, the Rioja-born group known for disruptive branding, entered the category in late 2021 with Zero Zero Le Naturel Tinto and Blanco —non-alcoholic counterparts to their low-intervention Le Naturel range. CEO Richi Arambarri highlights the range’s growing significance: the Tinto (Garnacha Tinta) now accounts for a third of the regular volume, and the Blanco (Garnacha Blanca and Viura) for half. 

Matarromera is another pioneer in Spain's alcohol-free wine industry. Hailing from Ribera del Duero, this group has developed the Win Sin Alcohol project, producing wines from Castilla y León's dominant grape varieties: Verdejo and Tempranillo. Production was estimated at 250,000 bottles in 2024, but this figure is expected to reach 490,000 by 2027.

Sparkling powerhouses Freixenet, Vallformosa and Vilarnau are also getting in on the action, with Vallformosa even introducing a canned version. And it’s not just wineries —food, beverage, and pharma company Dismark Products has its Lussory range, while Producto de Aldea is 100% focused on crafting low- and no-alcohol wines for third-party brands. 

Challenges and opportunities

Producing de-alcoholised wine requires advanced technology to remove alcohol from fully fermented wine. A major hurdle is the high alcohol content at the outset, especially with climate change. “Our approach is to control this in the vineyard with an early harvest, addressing it at the source, not with aggressive corrections in the winery,” explains Pedro Balda, oenologist and Head of R&D and Innovation at Vintae. 

These “corrections,” which often include adding ingredients such as glycerine, must and sugar during the post de-alcoholisation 'formulation' phase, have drawn criticism from those who see them as being at odds with the concept of a healthier, alcohol-free, product.

David Seijas, a leading sommelier who recently launched the Gallina de Punk brand and its Albariño-based 'Neverwine', weighs in. "Critics of non-alcoholic wine are often those opposed to any new trend, whether it's screwcaps or bag-in-box. Yes, it’s a highly technical product, much like many regular wines you’ll find in supermarkets, and it’s not trying to compete with anything. Plus, with global wine consumption down 7%, it might be a good way to safeguard our vineyard heritage." 

Rodrigo Briseño, head sommelier at Disfrutar, takes a similar stance. "One shouldn’t be so closed-minded in life. It often feels like wine is untouchable —yet we’ve been 'manipulating' simple things like vegetables, overcooking a humble cauliflower, for generations." Still he understand’s Pitu Roca’s reservations: “The maestro is not wrong. In the history of wine, especially in the Mediterranean, the goal has never been to create alcohol. It’s simply a by-product of winemaking. Yes, I know what we do is unconventional, but that’s what Disfrutar is also about: technical innovation and taking risks.” Currently, Disfrutar offers three de-alcoholised wines on its extensive beverage programme: a Sauvignon Blanc from Wairau (New Zealand), a red Monastrell from Jumilla and a Cream-style sweet Sherry.

Apart from Michelin-starred dining, where can consumers find good high-quality alcohol-free wines in Spain? Specialist online shops are a great start — La Taberna Sin in Andalucía and Blue Dolphin Store in Catalonia lead the pack. Barcelona also boasts Spain’s only alcohol-free physical store: Sense, with over 200 non-alcoholic labels, from beers and spirits to premixed cocktails.  Alcohol-free wines make up 30% of sales, with Cava-style sparklers, well-known grape varieties and producers from familiar regions topping the list. “Spain is actually quite present in the category. Many international brands use Spanish grapes and production facilities, but with a few exceptions, Spanish brands haven't been leading the way. This year we're seeing more and more bodegas producing their own alcohol-free wine," explains Sense co-founder Kimber Lockhart.

What is the outlook for no-alcohol wine in Spain? “It will shift from niche to mainstream globally,” says Vintae’s Richi Arambarri, “but growth in Spain will likely be slower, particularly in the on-trade where glass-pour acceptance still lags.” Mireia Torres offers a slightly more upbeat take. “The category will expand in all markets. We are on track for 20% value growth this year, despite the global decline in wine consumption."