Gers, France (December 17, 2024) — No one leads a revolution quite like the French. America’s oldest ally has done it again, only this time with corkscrews instead of guillotines. Moderato, the top-selling alcohol-free wine in France, served at famous Parisian restaurants Taillevent, Le Nôtre, and Cho-Cho, brings Cuve´e Re´volutionnaire to the U.S. in December 2024. Available in Blanc, Rouge, Rosé and Sparkling Pe´tillant, Cuve´e Re´volutionnaire gives wine lovers all the pleasures of wine without losing their heads.
It’s saying something for an alcohol-free wine to win over the French. Founded in 2020 by wine enthusiasts Fabien Marchand-Cassagne and Sebastien Thomas, Moderato has become a major stakeholder in the de-alcoholized wine industry. In 2023, it sold 100,000 bottles, more than any other alcohol-free wine in France. Cuve´e Re´volutionnaire combines the industry’s most cutting-edge de-alcoholization method with traditional French wine-making techniques. It’s also wine that’s good for the waistline: Cuve´e Re´volutionnaire wines have just 10-15 calories per 100 ml (a standard glass of wine is about 150 ml or five ounces).
Moderato makes wines from its own vineyards in Gers, also called Gascony, a picturesque rural region of southwest France. Under the direction of head winemaker and partner sommelier Sébastien Thomas, Moderato wines showcase the Gascon terroir. Its wines are made with Colombard, Merlot, Tannat and Gros Manseng grape varieties renowned for their distinctive character and intense aromatic structure. These varieties also respond well to the de-alcoholization process.
Marchand-Cassagne, a beverage industry innovator, and Thomas, part of a family of winegrowers and distillers in the Cognac region, share a passion for wine. They founded Moderato for people to enjoy wine more often without the health consequences that can be associated with excessive alcohol consumption.
“More than just an alternative to alcohol, Moderato offers a new way to enjoy wine, without compromising on taste,” says Sébastien Thomas, head winemaker.
Moderato arrives in the U.S. at a time when the spirit-free market grew 29 percent from 2022 to 2023, according to the global beverage data and insight provider IWSR. North America (Canada and the U.S.) account for 40% of the global alcohol-free wine market.
Moderato partnered with the Gers-based wine cooperative group Vivadour to found France’s first de-alcoholization center, Le Chai Sobre. With Le Chai Sobre’s opening in Gers in October 2024, Moderato can now conduct research and development programs to improve the quality of alcohol-free wines and offer the growing industry its laboratory and industrial de-alcoholization equipment.
Thomas explains that Moderato’s de-alcoholization process involves extracting alcohol by vacuum distillation at 35°C, which preserves as much of the wine's aroma as possible. Once all the alcohol has evaporated, the de-alcoholized liquid is recovered by gravity. Its profile may be adjusted with aromas from the extracted alcohol, resulting in trace amounts of alcohol (less than 0.5 percent) in the final product.
"Liberté, Egalité . . . Sobriété!” Enjoy All Four Cuve´e Re´volutionnaire Wines:
Cuve´e Re´volutionnaire Rouge (<0.5% ABV|$25) combines Merlot and Tannat grapes from Gascony in a versatile red that’s perfect with beef carpaccio, vegetable lasagna or a classic shepherd’s pie. Serve slightly chilled.
Wine color: Garnet with purple highlights.
Nose: Expressive with black fruits and spices notes, and a hint of vanilla.
Finish: Expressive fruity notes complemented by velvety tannins, with a beautiful smooth finish.
Cuve´e Re´volutionnaire Blanc (<0.5% ABV|$25) is made with Colombard grapes from Gascony. Pair it with ceviche, a seasonal salad or savory white meats. Serve chilled.
Wine color: Pale and clear with bright green hues.
Nose: Dominant exotic and white fruits notes of pear and peach with hints
of citrus zest.
Finish: An intense and aromatic palate with enduring liveliness ends on a pleasant, refreshing note.
Cuve´e Re´volutionnaire Rosé (<0.5% ABV|$25 contains Gros Mansard and Merlot grapes from Gascony. Enjoy it with fresh tapenade, savory-sweet salads or seasonal tarts. Serve chilled.
Wine color: Pale light pink.
Nose: Notes of fresh ripe red fruit with a hint of citrus.
Finish: Slightly sour with notes of ripe red fruits and a refreshing finish.
Cuve´e Re´volutionnaire Pe´tillant Sparkling (<0.5% ABV|$30) is made with Merlot (Blanc Noir) grapes. Try it with a sweet and savory appetizer or even a delightful chocolate fondant. Serve chilled.
Wine color: Straw yellow with slightly golden notes.
Nose: Expressive notes of candied fruits bolstered by hints of sweet and soft almonds.
Finish: Beautiful fruitiness with a well-balanced structure enhanced by fine, palate-coating bubbles that give a pleasant length
HOW TO BUY:
Cuve´e Re´volutionnaire is imported & distributed by V.O.S. Selections and available starting December 2024, for distribution in New York, New Jersey, Pennyslvania and online at betterrhodes.com. Distributed on the East Coast by V.O.S. Selections.
About Moderato Wines
At Moderato, we love wine, a little, a lot, passionately. Its history, its terroir, its moments, its pleasures, its nuances, its pairings, its conviviality. We love it so much that we'd like to be able to enjoy it more often, without wondering whether it's reasonable to do so, whether we have a meeting after this lunch, whether people will look at us funny when we drink a toast, whether we're walking home, whether sometimes we shouldn't be more reasonable, or whether we're simply allowed to do so.
So, in good French fashion, we said to ourselves that we were going to make a REVOLUTION (an old reflex) and we imagined making a wine just as good, but without alcohol. Because if we can stop or reduce our alcohol consumption while continuing to enjoy ourselves, you will be free to enjoy it in the evening, at lunch, with a snack, alone, with friends, while driving, while looking after the children. Free to stop counting calories because there are hardly any. Free to take pleasure without compromising health. It was audacious to imagine all this; now it's a reality.
Moderato. Freedom, equality . . . sobriety, cheeky or health! We'll let you decide.
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