Chile opens the door to low-alcohol wines with a new decree
Chile is preparing a category of low-alcohol wines, with a minimum of 8.5%, while the trend towards alcohol-free wines gains ground.
Wine consumption is changing, and among the emerging trends, "alcohol-free" wines stand out. It's still a niche market, but the sector is growing strongly. As has happened in other wine-producing countries, Chile, the world's fourth-largest wine exporter and the largest in South America, is adapting to the production of low-alcohol wines.
The change comes with a modification to alcohol regulations that would authorize this production. According to a press release, a decree establishes a category of low-alcohol wines, which includes products with an alcohol content of 8.5% or higher. The decree is currently under review by the Court of Auditors before it comes into effect.
The amendment does not reduce the minimum alcohol content of traditional Chilean wine, which remains at 11.5%. Instead, it introduces a separate category for products made according to authorized winemaking practices, with a minimum actual alcohol content of 8.5%.
Chile's Minister of Agriculture, Jaime Campos, issued a decree modifying the regulations of the Alcohol Law and allowing the production in Chile of low-alcohol wines, classified as special wines.