I tested the best supermarket low alcohol booze – light & luscious winning wine was like pudding in a glass

Scottish Sun

25-07-2025

Almost 40 per cent of the drinks we consume today are now a low- or no-ABV option
THE LOW DOWN I tested the best supermarket low alcohol booze – light & luscious winning wine was like pudding in a glass
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ALMOST half of Gen Z never have more than one glass of wine a night, while a further 39 per cent rarely have more than one, new research shows.
And three out of four Brits of all ages now say they are more conscious of their tipple levels.
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Drinks expert Helena ­Nicklin gives her verdict on lower ABV drinks
Credit: Oliver Dixon
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Almost half of Gen Z never have more than one glass of wine a night
Credit: Getty
Almost 40 per cent of the drinks we consume today are now a low- or no-ABV option.
Luckily if you fancy a bevvie but want to cut down on your alcohol intake there's loads of non-boozy glugs to try.
Many wine, beer and even spirits are now available in 'mid-strength' options for those who wish to cut down the units while still clinking a glass.
But which lower ABV drinks deliver and which disappoint?
Here, drinks expert Helena ­Nicklin gives her verdict.
19 Crimes Mid-strength Red 75cl, 7% ABV, £8, Sainsbury's - 2/5
WHERE do I start with this bottle of lower ABV red from the 19 Crimes brand?
Well, on the plus side, this is indeed a lower alcohol wine at 7% ABV so it ticks the box for anyone who wants a glass of red, but less boozy.
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19 Crimes Mid-strength Red 75cl scored 2 out of 5
Credit: Sainsburys
However… it is also a great example of why you just can't simply de-alcoholise a normal wine and leave it.
Why? Because it will taste unbalanced, acidic and cooked – just like this one.
Add to that some fake-tasting vanilla and that's what you get here.
Why Guinness tastes better in Ireland
It's expensive too, as you are paying for the same name.
Not the best!
Small Beer: The Original 350ml, 2.1% ABV, £2.20, Majestic - 5/5
THE boys at the Small Beer brewery, located in South London, created this brand years ago with the sole aim of making properly drinkable, lower alcohol 'session' beers – so they had to be good.
That's a promising way to start when you want to create something decent for drinkers who want lower booze levels to sip – and the results are super.
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Small Beer: The Original scored full marks
Credit: Majestic
This perky Pilsner-style brew is light and hoppy, with lots of flavour.
It is seriously refreshing and just right for a light buzz without the bad head.
Well worth the few extra pennies, especially when compared to some other low-beer brands.
Beavertown Satellite Super Session IPA
330ml, 2.8% ABV, £1.56 (£6.25 x 4), Sainsbury's - 3/5
BEAVERTOWN is a great brand for reliable beers of all shapes and styles.
This brewery has a wonderfully creative image and this eye-catching can offers an IPA with a lot of flavour punch – from citrussy bitter hops to fresh florals, which make up for the lower ABV.
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Beavertown Satellite Super Session IPA scored 3 out of 5
Credit: Sainsburys
It might be too soapy and punchy flavour-wise for some drinkers, but traditional IPA drinkers should love it.
What's great about this is you can just pick it up and chuck it in your trolley when you are in the supermarket and it won't cost you a fortune.
So, it makes drinking 'low' easy and accessible.
Summer in a glass!
Mid-strength Val De Loire Blanc
75cl, 8.4% ABV, £7.75, Sainsbury's Taste The Difference - 4/5
SAINSBURY'S was the first supermarket to create its own range of mid-strength wines, and this tangy little number is lower on the alcohol – but to drink it's fab.
Reduced-alcohol vino doesn't have the best reputation, but this one is made with the prettily perfumed, local grolleau gris grape variety from France's Loire region.
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Mid-strength Val De Loire Blanc scored 4 out of 5
Credit: Sainsburys
The Loire is known for its naturally lighter wines.
In the glass, it delivers a tipple that is crisp, clean and fruity.
Served well-chilled and you can hardly tell it's a lower ABV.
A great bottle if you like the idea of a glass of proper wine in the evening or at a party but don't want a high booze count.
McGuigan Mid Rosé 7% ABV, £4.50, Tesco - 5/5
THIS middle-strength rosé from Aussie winemakers McGuigan has been hit and miss in the past, but this year's version is the best so far – so this summer is the time to sip it.
Slightly off dry, it comes across as very fruity with notes of summer fruit and strawberry jelly.
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McGuigan Mid Rosé is perfect for poolside parties in the sun
Credit: Tesco
Light and luscious, it's perfect for poolside parties in the sun.
Serve very cold with a handful of strawberries and it's practically pudding!
A great way to enjoy a lovely glass of 'pool plonk' without going overboard on the ­alcohol.
It's a nice ­daytime option too, if you are having a bottle with lunch.
What's not to like?
Quarter Proof Vodka Light 70cl, 15% ABV, £22.99 on offer, Amazon - 3/5
LOWER ABV spirits are becoming more common but opting for big brand 'low or no' versions of their bestsellers is not always your only option.
The clue is in the name with Quarter Proof, a firm that makes spirits which are exactly that – one fourth of the ABV compared to the original mainstays.
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Quarter Proof Vodka Light scorred 3 out of 5
Credit: Amazon
This lower-proof vodka grain spirit splits the critics – at just 15%, many ask why wouldn't you just pour a smaller measure of the proper stuff into your glass – but this has a tad more flavour than most vodkas.
This means you don't feel too short changed.
There's something luxurious about pouring from a proper bottle too.
Worth a go if this is your tipple.
Hayman's London Light Gin 70cl, 12.5% ABV, £18.99, Tesco - 5/5
IF G&T is your favourite tipple but you want to trim the ABV level of what you measure over ice then this is the spirit I would ­recommend.
The gin masters at Hayman's came up with this light gin concept way before it was trendy and, honestly, it works brilliantly – and it's cheaper than regular gin, too.
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Hayman's London Light Gin scored full marks
Credit: Tesco
The key here is doubling down on the juniper and botanicals so that when you mix it with tonic, you really have no idea that the ABV is lighter.
You get all that gorgeous gin taste, it pairs perfectly and it's very pretty too.
Pour this into your balloon glass and it'll hit the spot even for hardened gin connoisseurs.
The pretty packaging also means it makes a great gift.