One thing I've learned after years working with alcohol-removed wine: alcohol removal leaves nowhere to hide.
It exposes every decision, every strength and every weakness. A wine that feels beautifully balanced before alcohol removal can suddenly seem sharp, drying or incomplete afterwards. Characteristics that were once comfortably integrated move to the foreground. That's why, when people ask me how to make a great alcohol-removed wine, my answer is always the same: it starts long before alcohol is removed.
First: Tannins
When I'm assessing a potential red base wine, tannin is usually one of the first things I look at. Alcohol naturally softens the perception of tannin. Remove it, and tannins become much more apparent. Too much tannin, and the wine can quickly become aggressive or drying. Too little, and it loses the structure that gives red wine it’s presence and complexity on the palate.
What I'm always searching for is balance. This is one of the reasons I've become such a strong believer in Tempranillo. In my experience, it offers a rare combination of structure and finesse. The tannins are often fine, ripe and polished, giving shape to the wine without dominating it.
Then: Acidity
Acidity deserves just as much attention. I've seen wines that tasted wonderfully fresh before alcohol removal become surprisingly sharp afterwards. The process tends to make freshness feel more pronounced, which means balance becomes critical.
The goal isn't simply freshness. It's harmony. Get it right, and acidity brings energy, vibrancy and length. Get it wrong, and it can overwhelm everything else.
Then: Aromatics
Some of my favourite moments during blending are discovering how complexity carries through the process. Fruit is important, of course. But I'm equally interested in everything that sits behind it: spice, earth, savoury notes, subtle oak influence and the layers that come from time and careful winemaking. Those details are often what separate a wine that is pleasant from one that's genuinely rewarding to drink.
The Biggest Misconception
People often assume the magic happens during alcohol removal itself. In reality, most of the work happens before that. In the vineyard. In the choice of variety. In the countless tasting sessions spent looking for wines with the right balance, structure and resilience. Alcohol removal is important, but it can't create quality that wasn't already there. It can only reveal it.
Why PARAGRAPH is a Tempranillo
After years working with alcohol-removed wines, I've come to believe that Tempranillo sits in a rare sweet spot. It brings the structure, freshness, aromatic complexity and fine tannins that can withstand alcohol removal while still feeling unmistakably like wine. It delivers the framework I look for in a serious red wine, while remaining balanced and approachable at the table.
That thinking sits behind every bottle of PARAGRAPH Tempranillo. For me, the goal has never been to imitate something else. It's to create a wine that earns its place at the table on its own terms. PARAGRAPH Tempranillo is the result of that pursuit.
— Laure Tchiknavorian