The Riesling "Dom Zero" was the only alcohol-free wine to make it onto the Federal Foreign Office's shopping recommendation list.
The wine with an alcohol content below 0.5 percent percent of volume comes from the production of the .
When embassies or consulates buy wine worldwide for events or as gifts, they resort to the annually newly created list.
"We are very proud of this award and take it as a reward for the good work we have done," said Weingut Director Julia Lübcke in Trier on Friday. Now the wineries are waiting for the orders from the world of diplomacy.
After a first vintage of "Dom Zero" with around 8,000 bottles, Lübcke expects a production volume of 12,000 bottles in 2024.
In retail sales, the alcohol-free Riesling costs 9.90 euros. Lübcke spoke of a trend to have an alcohol-free wine on offer in addition to classic wines – even if the winemakers and cellar masters are not so easy to convince at first.
However, a growing number of customers are also looking for non-alcohol wines for health reasons.
"If we are now increasingly attracting attention for our alcohol-free premium wine, then this will strengthen the cultural wine wine as a whole."
Wine more complex than beer
The production of wine without alcohol is significantly more difficult than with beer, said the Weingut director. Alcohol is the decisive taste carrier.
"You remove the wine's alcohol, you remove it from flavourings."
It is now possible to withdraw alcohol under vacuum and at temperatures below 40 degrees Celsius.
The lower the temperature, the less flavors were lost. Acidic varieties such as Riesling and Chardonnay are best suited for these processes.
The Episcopal Wineries of Trier account for 130 hectares on a total of 145 plots in 35 locations.
The managing partner is the Episcopal Chair of Trier – represented by Vicar General Ulrich Graf von Plettenberg.