These picks are light on sugar, but high in flavour
If you’re looking to lower your sugar consumption, but don't want to sacrifice flavour, consider sipping low-sugar wines. Sugar is an essential component of wine — ripe grapes contain natural sugars that, when fermented, turn to alcohol. Some wines are fermented dry to keep the sugar content low, and certain wine regions are renowned for producing wines that are naturally lower in sugar. For example, wines harvested in cool climates (or at high altitudes) don’t ripen as quickly, so they tend to contain fewer natural sugars than those produced in warmer climates. Choose wines from Canada, New Zealand’s South Island, Northern Italy, France and Germany, which are all considered cool-climate regions, as well as cooler parts of Australia, Chile, Spain and Portugal.
Style influences a wine’s sweetness, too. If you want a dry, low-sugar white, look for varietals like Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio or Chardonnay. For dry, low-sugar reds, try varietals like Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon or Gamay, to name a few.
Explore our selection of wines with 5g of sugar per litre or less. To find the sugar content of any wine, check the g/L on the LCBO shelf label in-store and in the product description online.
A savoury, creamy salad complements crisp, dry whites.
A beefy, robust soup pairs with lower-sugar reds.
Serve this decadent chicken dish with dry rosé and red wines.