Soléance: the mid-strength sparkling ‘opening up new scenarios’
Combining traditional method craftsmanship and a market-friendly ABV, Soléance is headed to ProWein to shake up the no and low sector. db speaks with its founder, while Patrick Schmitt MW gives his verdict on the wines.
Much is made of the ‘less but better’ trend – a shift that sees consumers reducing their alcohol consumption but increasing the quality of each bottle – but that is seldom seen as literally as in sparkling wine newcomer Soléance.
Sitting at 5% ABV, the wines clearly match the market’s move to lower alcohol drinks. While some consumers are foregoing alcohol entirely, many are using mid-strength options to moderate.
The Mid Strength Opportunity, a report compiled by retail analysts KAM, Drink Mid Strength Collective, and Club Soda, confirmed that many UK consumers now see mid-strength consumption as part of their regular drinking habits.
It found that 13% of consumers are ‘coasting’ (drinking only mid-strength options through a social occasion to reduce alcohol consumption). A further 11% use mid-strength drinks as a form of zebra striping (alternating drinks of higher and lower strengths for the same reason).
Increasingly, the case is being made for mid-strength drinks in both retail and hospitality. Yet where Soléance stands out is in its adoption of winemaking mostly associated with fine wines and prestigious regions. By incorporating cool climate-sourced grapes and traditional method techniques, Soléance is pushing the category forward.
Inspiration from the classics
The ABV may be different and there are a couple of added processes, yet Soléance is still a traditional method sparkling wine at its heart. That means the same principles still apply: sound structure, delicate aromatics and the all-important character of second fermentation.
Many of the world’s best sparkling wine producers – the most famous examples hail from Champagne – rely on cooling influences in the vineyard to produce elegant, complex wines. Such conditions promote the bright acidity that provides the wines’ structural backbone, as well as the subtle fruit notes that play so well off ageing on the lees.
The 100% organic Pinot Noir for Soléance is sourced from a prestigious single vineyard in Germany, whose cooler microclimate retains the grapes’ natural acidity. This, combined with the variety’s natural touches of ripe fruit and floral nuances, gives the winemakers a fine canvas to work on.
Once the wines have undergone their first fermentation, some of the alcohol is removed gently, readying the wine for its second fermentation. The process, crucially, is gentle, removing the alcohol while retaining as much of the original flavour as technology allows.
The final step – Soléance’s unique selling point – is the second fermentation. This occurs in the bottle, much like the famous wines of Champagne, England and Cava. The only fundamental difference is that the wine is at a much lower ABV as the process starts.
The effect is therefore very similar. The second fermentation, which increases alcohol by around 1.5%, adds bubbles to the bottle much more slowly than carbonation, lending the wine a softer mousse and smoother texture.
Moreover, the wine spends at least 15 months ageing on the lees. This is more time than the minimum mandated in Cava and Champagne. In short, it means that the wine can attain much of the same complexity as its more famous counterparts.
Matched to modern patterns
For founder Aniko Strich, the embrace of high-end winemaking techniques is not incidental. She has worked extensively in the wine trade, and so wanted to emphasise the trade’s expertise, even at a lower strength.
“I wanted a genuinely serious sparkling option,” she explains, “that preserves the cultural heritage of the wine world, and the craftsmanship behind traditional-method sparkling, while meeting changing consumer preference toward moderation.”
Although the wines are versatile, she pitches them particularly for the likes of celebrations, business meet-ups, sports events and midweek socialising, the kinds of occasions where you might wish to raise a special glass without feeling the alcohol in the morning.
Stylistically, the wines fit that mould. The white is fresh, with mineral nuances and notes of blossom, lime, green apple and ginger. The rosé – which, like Champagne, is made by blending in a dash of still Pinot Noir – has a fuller texture, with flavours of mirabelle plum and orange blossom.
Both have residual sugar around 10g/l. This is, again, within the range of a Brut Champagne, and lower than market-leading alcohol-free fizz.
That complexity, the result of finely honed winemaking, is the reason Strich believes Soléance can fill a niche in the market.
“There are opportunities in premiumisation and food-friendly styles aimed at wine-savvy consumers – especially products that deliver structure, acidity and complexity rather than sweetness or aromatised profiles,” she explains.
“The biggest gap is for celebration-worthy, restaurant-ready options that support moderation and a more health-conscious choice (lower alcohol and sugar) while still delivering a premium experience. Mid-strength luxury sparkling opens up entirely new usage scenarios.”
Soléance will be exhibiting at ProWein this week: Hall 1, A120. For those unable to taste for themselves, Patrick Schmitt MW gives his notes below.
Soléance Brut
- Region: Rheinhessen, Germany
- Vintage: 2023
- Grape Varieties: 100% Pinot Noir
- ABV: 5.0% vol
- Residual Sugar: 11g/L
- RRP: €34
An open and expressive pale lemon yellow sparkling wine, with prominent aromas of sour green apple and a gentle cidery nuance. Subtle hints of fresh bread and delicate autolysis add complexity. On the palate, it is fresh and characterful, showing crisp green and sour apple flavours with a light scrumpy-cider edge. A subtle breadiness and faint fino-like saline apple note bring added interest. Dry and vibrant, with a fine mousse and lively acidity. The texture is persistent and energetic, with delicate autolytic complexity. On the finish, there’s a crisp green apple bite and a light, grippy structure.
Soléance Brut Rosé
A pale peachy pink sparkling with delicate aromas of red berries alongside plums and green apple. The palate is light, crisp and dry, with a mix of ripe red apple and sharper green apple notes. Subtle red berry fruit and a faint hint of stewed cherry add nuance. The texture shows fine mousse and a lightly chalky, grippy structure. The finish is lingering and lively, with a firm, refreshing acidity and a gently tart, apple-driven finish.
- Region: Rheinhessen, Germany
- Vintage: 2023
- Grape Varieties: 100% Pinot Noir
- ABV: 5.0% vol
- Residual Sugar: 11g/L
- RRP: €34
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