A New Red, and a New Look, for Australia’s Only Non-Alcoholic Botanically Built Wine
Inspired by the festive sangrias of Spain, ALTINA is launching ‘Sansgria’, a vibrant ruby sparkling wine that is bold, balanced, delicious and naturally alcohol free.
“We developed our new non-alc wine as a response to the changing drinking culture in Australia,” says the co-founder of ALTINA, Dr Christina DeLay. “Consumers are seeking ‘better for you’ non-alcoholic alternatives without the sugary fizz of kids’ soft drinks.
“Launching a red was a natural extension to our existing white and rose variants,” DeLay explains. “Our new ALTINA Sansgria is built from botanicals and features native Australian riberry, sweet orange, cayenne pepper and green apple.
“The taste profile is complex and refreshing, with a hint of spice and vanilla. As with the rest of our range, Sansgria is formulated without the need to add any sugar.”
While awareness of the negative aspects of excessive alcohol consumption has increased, Delay says that the non-alcoholic drinks category has been defined by compromise. “While the quality of non-alc beers has improved dramatically in recent years, the quality of non-alcoholic wines has lagged. Most non-alc wines are made from de-alcoholised wine with concentrated grape juice added,” DeLay explains. “The result tends to be a poor imitation of the ‘real thing’ and is loaded with sugar.”
However, DeLay says that ALTINA is different. “ALTINA is built from botanicals, Australian native ingredients and contains no added sugar,” she says.
ALTINA’s formulation and production process is informed by Dr DeLay’s qualifications in chemical biotechnology and botany. “My background as a scientist has allowed me to understand how different flavours interact biologically with taste receptors,” she explains. “I have used these learnings to create the unique ALTINA taste profile. The ingredients I have chosen gently layer on top of each other while developing in complexity as you sip.”
In addition, Dr DeLay has pioneered new methods of flavour extraction that doesn’t rely on a base carrier containing alcohol or sugar. “Our carefully selected botanicals are cold-steeped for a minimum of 36 hours to capture all the wonderful smells and flavours. We then triple-filter out any impurities to maximise taste and visual clarity. This gives ALTINA a broader palate of ingredients to blend than our competitors.”
The launch of ‘Sansgria’ coincides with redesigned packaging that reflects the brand experience. “ALTINA is a brand that combines the ritual and theatre of wine with the discovery of new, natural and native Australian ingredients, but without the alcohol,” DeLay says.
The front of pack features a sensorial monogram that visually represents the combination of botanicals used to create each unique flavour profile within the range. “The new design is minimalist and contemporary, targeting female drinkers who want to drink a bit less,” DeLay says.
ALTINA is available at selected Dan Murphy stores, BWS and independent retailers as well as online at altinadrinks.com.
