Jackson Family Wines could have a new offering under the La Crema label coming to retail shelves if ongoing experimentation pays off. Building on the success of low-calorie options from the Kendall-Jackson wine line, winemakers are focusing on finding the right balance for a low-calorie Pinot Noir under the La Crema label. “They’re getting closer,” says executive vice president of sales Bill O’Connor. “Pinot Noir is such a fickle grape, but we’re really tinkering with it and making sure that when we do release it, the quality is at the highest level.”

Jackson Family Wines is one of many wineries exploring new avenues for growth in the low-calorie wine segment. Driven by demands from health- and calorie-conscious consumers, low-calorie wines began gaining traction a half-dozen years ago and have grown at a rapid pace since then. Given the recent malaise in the wine sector overall the past couple of years, growth in the low-calorie wine segment—though still small in overall volume—is providing dynamism for the wine sector. “We all know that it’s a little bit tougher right now in the wine category, but that said, there are always bright spots and certainly light wines are one of them,” says Kathy Pryce, vice president of marketing at Delicato Family Wines. “It continues to be a segment outperforming and growing.”

Delicato Family Wines launched Bota Box Breeze, a low-calorie version of the highly successful Bota Box boxed wine, in 2021. In its first year on the market the brand became the No. 1 low-calorie wine in the U.S. and has grown rapidly since then. Last year, Bota Box Breeze advanced 24.8% to 885,000 cases, according to Impact Databank. Bota Box isn’t alone, although leading brands had mixed performances last year. Twelve leading brands in the segment tracked by Impact Databank together advanced 11.2% to 2.2 million cases in 2024.

Better-For-You Movement

The growing demand for low-calorie wines is part of a general consumer movement toward healthier consumption choices across the board. Winemakers are eager to comply. The Duckhorn Portfolio is relatively new to the low-calorie wine sector, launching Decoy Featherweight last year. The brand depleted 25,000 cases in 2024, according to Impact Databank. “We’re excited about the success of the innovation,” CEO Robert Hanson says, noting that the early embrace of Featherweight Sauvignon Blanc prompted the launch of Chardonnay as a follow-up. The company is exploring low-calorie options for other varietals too, he adds.

Washington-based Ste. Michelle Wine Estates expanded its low-calorie wine focus last year with the launch of Chateau Ste. Michelle Light wines, consisting of a Chardonnay and a Sauvignon Blanc, both at 80 calories. “The inspiration behind our Chateau Ste. Michelle Light Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc came from a desire to offer wine drinkers a lighter option that still delivers on taste and quality from a brand they trust,” says Perris Fiori, vice president of marketing for Ste. Michelle Wine Estates.

Ste. Michelle isn’t new to the low-calorie sector. It was an early entrant into the segment’s current incarnation with the launch of low-calorie brand Liquid Light in 2019. That brand grew 17% to 107,000 cases last year, according to Impact Databank.

For some light wines, lower calorie isn’t the only attribute being communicated to consumers. Avaline, the wine brand co-created by actress Cameron Diaz, has found success in being fully transparent about the makeup of its wines. “We prioritize transparency by listing all ingredients and serving facts on our bottles and providing details about our organic farming practices right on our website,” says Matt Szura, vice president of sales. “Our wines are free from additives, synthetic chemicals, and excessive sugar, calories, sulfur, and alcohol. All of our wines are certified gluten-free, non-GMO, vegan, and made with organic grapes, ensuring they are both healthy and delicious.”

Avaline had a stellar performance in 2024, with volume jumping 50.3% to 214,000 cases and propelling the brand to the No. 3 position among low-calorie wines, according to Impact Databank. At No. 2, Fitvine, from O’Neill Vintners & Distillers, held steady at 220,000 cases.

Like Avaline, Fitvine takes a holistic approach. “Our wines are on the lower calorie side—everything is less than 120 calories per glass—but our whole focus is on zero sugar and low sulfites,” says O’Neill vice president of marketing Blaire Fraser. “The better-for-you wellness space has a bunch of different facets. People are ultimately looking for ways to achieve a little bit more wellbeing and balance and more transparency about what they’re putting into their bodies.”

Fraser adds that, for Fitvine, the “typical” customer isn’t easy to define. “It’s a mindset, an overall focus on wellness,” she says. The 30-plus audience is the biggest consumer cohort for the brand. “I think you get out of your 20s and become a bit more conscious that you can’t just eat and drink anything,” she says. “As you get older you become more aware.”

Also in the mix is the sleekly designed vegan Cloud 90 from Italian wine brand Cavit, at 90 calories and 9% abv. With Pinot Grigio and Sauvignon Blanc varietals, the Palm Bay International-owned brand harvests its grapes earlier than normal to ensure a lower alcohol and calorie content without losing flavor.

Tapping A Younger Consumer

That said, Fraser says Fitvine is definitely resonating with other age demographics, including Gen Z consumers, the eldest of whom are in their 20s now. That cohort is a key target audience for Chateau Ste. Michelle. “Based on proprietary research, we’ve found that consumers who are early on their wine journey are more likely to have tried a ‘light’ wine versus those who feel they are advanced wine drinkers and know what they like,” says Fiori. “Millennials/Gen Z who want to live a more balanced lifestyle are looking for a light, easy to drink option from a brand they’ve heard of and trust. These consumers are mindful of their lifestyle choices and looking for lighter options without sacrificing taste and flavor.

“While moderation is a trend among all ages, younger consumers are more likely than older cohorts to switch between full alcohol and ‘light’ or low/no-alcohol products either in the same occasion or across different occasions,” Fiori adds.

“Consumers are increasingly health-conscious and looking for options that allow them to enjoy their favorite beverages without compromising on their wellness goals or flavor,” agrees Victoria Clark, Constellation Brands’ marketing director for Kim Crawford, which includes Kim Crawford Illuminate, a lower-calorie option. “We have seen a steady rise in demand for wines that offer lower alcohol content and fewer calories, driven by a broader trend towards mindful drinking.”

Retailers echo that point. Dustin Mitzel, CEO of North Dakota’s Happy Harry’s Bottle Shops, notes the health considerations that spur purchases, and also says he has seen a shift in the purchasing demographic for low-calorie wines. “Most customers shopping this category are female,” he says. “A couple of years ago the age range was over 40, but in the last year we have seen younger shoppers purchasing low-alcohol wine.”

For Matua Lighter from Treasury Wine Estates Americas, the demographic skews a bit older. “We initially assumed this category would be dominated by a younger crowd, but our core consumers are actually Gen X and Millennials,” says Treasury Americas president of bold brands Sarah Bakx. “These consumers are incredibly health-conscious and hyper-aware of the role alcohol plays in their lifestyle. Conscious consumption isn’t just a trend for them—it’s a long-term behavior shift. They’re looking for balance, and low-calorie wines fit seamlessly into that mindset.”

Retail Strategies

Mitzel anticipates continuing growth for the low-alcohol category, as does Rhode Island-area retailer Carlos DeOliveira, president and CEO of Wine & Spirits Retail Marketing Inc. “While the overall wine market remains soft, the low-calorie segment is expected to outperform traditional wines,” DeOliveira says.

He warns, however, that not all low-calorie brands can ride the consumption wave. “The sector is getting oversaturated,” DeOliveira explains. “Many major wine companies—Gallo, Delicato, Constellation, and others—have launched low-calorie extensions, leading to a crowded market. While some brands like Bota Box Breeze, FitVine, Cupcake LightHearted, and Barefoot Bright & Breezy are performing well, others are struggling to stand out. The rapid influx of similar products risks confusing consumers and diluting the category, making it harder for new entrants to gain traction. A shakeout may occur, with weaker brands getting phased out while only the strongest survive.”

While the past five years have shown the viability of low-calorie wines, how those brands are presented to consumers at retail varies. “At most retail locations, [low-calorie brands] are line-shelved with the core bottlings in the stores that organize wine aisles by variety, so you’ll see it in the varietal set,” says O’Connor of Jackson Family Wines. “There are a couple exceptions. Kroger and Albertsons have better-for-you sections that they’re building out. I think the retailers are still trying to figure out themselves what’s the best spot for these wines.”

Delicato’s Pryce says internal research suggests the most intuitive place for consumers to find low-calorie wines is alongside their traditional counterpart. “More than half of the consumers from our research said they have been introduced or discovered these lighter wines simply by seeing it on shelf,” Pryce says. “Our guidance to our retailers is to strategically position our light wines, our Bota Breeze, right next to Bota Box to help that discovery with consumers. That said, there are a small handful of retailers that have a better-for-you section and they will combine all their wines, and some beers and other products.”

Bakx says Treasury is pleased with Matua Lighter’s current placement alongside the core Matua brand but sees room for strategic experimentation. “What keeps us up at night is this question: Are we leaving potential consumers on the table by not testing placement outside the traditional wine aisle?” she asks. “Could we be driving new consumers into wine if they found Matua Lighter in a no- or low-alcohol section? We believe there’s an untapped opportunity here, and we’re eager to test it with the right retail partners.”

Of course, not all low-calorie wine brands have a full-calorie counterpart. Fitvine’s Fraser is a firm believer in shelving by varietal rather than the “no man’s land” of the better-for-you section. “I fundamentally believe that the better placement is in that varietal set,” she says. “I think about how people shop the category: We’ve trained consumers to start varietal first.”

The Next Steps

While retail has largely embraced low-calorie wine, marketers say the on-premise is a bit more challenging. O’Connor calls it a tougher arena when trying to make the case for low-calorie options. He suggests that within the overall indulgence of dining out, “maybe your mindset isn’t necessarily to have that low calorie product.”

Bakx says Treasury plans to lean in to the on-premise space. “This year, we’re doubling down on-premise,” she says. “When you think about food and wine pairing, this lighter option makes total sense. It allows consumers to enjoy their favorite varietal in a more balanced way, and we see a huge opportunity to make it a go-to choice for by-the-glass programs.”

Marketers and retailers alike are predicting continuing expansion of the overall low-calorie wine sector in the coming year as “wellness” continues to be front-of-mind for consumers. “This is certainly a space that we are keeping a close eye on and expect it to grow,” says Fiori. “As we all know, the last few years have been disruptive. And stress levels are at an all-time high. This has led consumers to pay more attention to both physical and mental health, focus on ‘me time’ and be more mindful about their food and beverage choices.”

Citing various studies showing the consumer gravitation toward lighter products, as well as Ste. Michelle’s own internal research, Fiori says “all of this supports that the light wine trends are here to stay and we are proud to provide high quality, enjoyable options that deliver on taste and fit into more balanced lifestyles.”