When I saw that one grocery store had hung “low carb” tags on bottled water, I knew trouble was brewing, so to speak. The recent advent of “low carb wine” was validation of my concern and it also knitted my brow. Isn’t wine low carb already? Yes it is, unless you’re drinking port or icewine, etc. Nonehtheless, bottled water marked “low carb” moves like a raging river and so does “low-carb” wine. If you’re one of those who like to get it in writing, right there on the label, then check this out.

Brown-Forman Wines has launched a “lower carbohydrate wine created for carb counters.”

According to Brown-Forman, winemaker Cara Morrison has said that, “One.6 Chardonnay and One.9 Merlot are for those wine lovers who are carb-aware… Our team of winemakers in Hopland, California, crafted two very distinctive wines that show you can enjoy a great-tasting glass of wine while still watching your carbs.”

The names One.6 Chardonnay and One.9 Merlot are so-called for their respective carb counts. One.6 Chardonnay has 1.6 carbs per five-ounce glass and One.9 Merlot has 1.9 carbs per five-ounce glass. “The names of these one-of-a-kind wines make it easier for consumers to keep track of their carb intake,” says Brown-Forman.

Company literature says that these wines are “[a] result of careful grape selection, dry fermentation, and specific blending to maximize the grapes full flavor and produce a consistent low-carb count. The wines are analyzed along the way to ensure that they always deliver on both great taste and the lower carb promise.”

Andrew Varga, vice president and global brand director, of Brown-Forman Wines declares the low carb wines a “reflection of a powerful consumer trend and we are thrilled to be the first to address this opportunity in the wine industry to meet the needs of the 59 million Americans following the low-carb movement.”

One.6 and One.9 wines are available in retail stores throughout the United States for about $9.99 in a 750ml bottle. The wines are already in many major retailers, restaurants and chain stores such as Albertson’s, Safeway, RiteAid, Target, and Walmart.

Filed Under: Wine & Libations