Discover Our Lighter Choices
We’ve gathered up innovative options that are low in sugar, low or light in alcohol and even non-alc. It’s all part of our Spirit of Sustainability Moderation Mandate to provide products, information, and the responsible services Ontarians need to make positive drinking choices that support a healthy lifestyle.
Please discover and enjoy responsibly.
All the Flavour. Light in Alcohol
Shop Wines from 0.5 to 9% ABV
Explore Low-Sugar Wines
Sugar levels alone don’t always correlate with sweetness. That’s why The LCBO Lab created an algorithm to assign wines a unique sweetness profile. Our quality assurance experts test for sugar and acidity levels so you know how sweet or dry a wine tastes before you try it. Learn more about The LCBO Lab.
What is Residual Sugar?
In the winemaking process, natural sugar comes out of the grapes during fermentation to create alcohol, Residual sugar is the natural sweetness that’s left over. It’s an important winemaking decision, whether to let the grapes ferment until the yeast consumes all the available sugar or to stop the fermentation and leave a bit of residual sugar in the wine. Even “dry” wines commonly have a bit of residual sugar.
Read the Label
You can find the grams of sugar per litre at the bottom of each wine’s page and also on shelf labels in store. Low-sugar wines fall within the LCBO’s Extra-Dry (XD) descriptor, which encompasses those with 0 to 5 grams of sugar per litre. A few winemakers are even starting to put nutritional information, such as calories, carbohydrates and sugar, on their labels.
Look at Regions and Varietals
Countries and regions with cool climates, or with vineyards at high altitudes, will grow grapes that are naturally lower in sugar. Canada, the northern United States, New Zealand’s south island and northern Italy, France and Germany are a few examples. The cooler parts of countries like Australia, Chile, Spain and Portugal are also places to look. Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio and Chardonnay are some whites that have low sugar when grown in cool regions. Among red grapes, look to Pinot Noir, Gamay and some Cabernet Francs grown in cooler climates.
Tips for Mixing Lighter Cocktails
Spritz it, salt it
With a little creativity, you can cut back on the level of sweetness in a cocktail. Try reducing syrup or sugar and adding a splash of club soda. Then boost the flavour with a variety of ingredients such as a smack of a mint sprig, a squeeze of lime or a twist of orange or lemon. Even the tiniest pinch of sea salt can intensify a cocktail’s taste and still appease sweet-tooths. A Tom Collins is an excellent option for this.
Downsize
Opt for classic-sized cocktails over pint-sized loosely poured drinks. Large, calorie-laden cocktails can sometimes go down far too quickly. Instead, we suggest preparing and sipping on drinks that are carefully measured so you’re not indulging in more than you realize.
Reinvent a long, lean classic: The Highball
Preparing this lighter, lower-alcohol style cocktail is as easy as choosing a spirit to pour over ice, topping with a thoughtful mixer and complementing with a garnish. Try mixing up regular or flavoured vodka with soda and topping with basil and fresh lemon slices.
Shop Light Spirits
All the Flavour. None of the alcohol.
The 0% Caipirinha
Spicy Plum Ginger Ale
South Pacific Sipper
Non-Alc Beers
These picks give you all the flavour of regular beer, with only 0.5% alcohol or less.
Get sweet on sugar-free hard seltzers
Hard seltzers and hard waters combine a spirit with still or carbonated water and a splash of flavour. They often come in six-packs of cans or tall-can singles and have no added sugar.
Learn more about how we’re improving the health and well-being of our customers, employees and communities through Spirit of Sustainability’s Good People commitments.
