The Science Behind Making Halal Wine - Boisson

The Science Behind Making Halal Wine

Posted by Boisson Staff on

To adhere to halal, Muslims must live a vastly different lifestyle from those of other religions. From avoiding meats like pork to abstaining from alcohol—navigating the rule of halal isn’t always easy. This is especially true when it comes to enjoying drinks with friends who are not of the Muslim religion. They are free to drink their favorite liquor or wine - while you must steer clear of any drinks containing alcohol. That’s right0% alcohol.

But, just because you have to avoid alcohol doesn’t mean you cannot enjoy a glass of red wine or white wine with your friends. With halal wine, you can enjoy the same great-tasting, flavorful glasswithout compromising on your values.

Sounds too good to be true? It’s not! We know what you’re thinking, though—how is non alcoholic wine made? And where can I find some?!

In today’s article, you’re going to learn how to make halal wine. We’ll discuss what exactly halal wine is, and what types you can choose from. We’ll discuss buying halal wine versus making it yourself at home. We’ve got a lot to cover, but let’s begin by explaining what makes a wine “halal”.  

What Is Halal Certified Wine?

So, what exactly is halal-certified wine? Just because a wine is marketed as low alcohol, or even no alcohol, doesn’t mean you can safely assume it is halal-certified. That’s because wine can be non-alcoholic and still have traces of alcohol, preventing it from technically being classified as “halal”. So, be sure the wine in question has no alcohol - and no traces, either. When in doubt, just read the bottle’s label. Any winery that produces halal-certified wine will proudly boast this information for you to see. And to eliminate any uncertainty, read through to the end - as we’ll let you in on a little secret: where to find the best halal-certified wine online. First, let’s talk about the characteristics of this halal-certified wine. 

What Are The Characteristics Of Halal Certified Wine?

Halal wine is virtually indistinguishable from traditional wine in terms of appearance. And for most people, it tends to taste the same, too. There are a few differences that you need to be aware of, however. 

Halal wine is carefully crafted with grapes picked earlier in the season than traditional wine. This means the grape juice contains lower sugar content. As a result, less alcohol is produced during the fermentation period. Notice we said less - not none. That means the manufacturer still has to remove some alcohol, albeit far less. More on that later. For now, let’s talk about the different types of halal-certified wine you can get your hands on.

What Are The Different Types Of Halal Certified Wine Available?

If you’ve recently begun adhering to halal, and have had traditional wine before, you no doubt have a favorite type that you miss dearly. But you’re not willing to compromise on your new values - good for you. And as it turns out, we’ve got great news. There are a wide array of halal-certified wines you can shop from! 

From halal-certified sparkling chardonnay to halal-certified sparkling rose, red wine, and much, much more - there is virtually no type of drink that doesn’t have a halal-certified option available. But whenever you have your doubts, it is important to read the label - even if the wine is labeled as non alcoholic, it may not meet halal standards. Here’s why.

Why Non Alcohol Wine May Not Necessarily Be Halal Certified

We briefly touched on this subject earlier, but we want to revisit it to help stress the importance of checking the label. Just because a product contains 0.00% alcohol, doesn’t mean it’s halal-certified. That’s because a product can still have traces of alcohol that don’t show up on the tests. This is common for manufacturers that produce both traditional wine and non-alcoholic wine in the same facilities. So, what can you do to ensure your wine is halal-certified? You have two options:

  1. Check the label for the halal certificate crest
  2. Check the halal institute and find the wines they’ve listed as certified

Now, without any further ado - how is non alcoholic wine made? Allow us to explain.

How To Make Halal Wine: Two Different Methods Wineries Use

We’ve talked a lot about what makes wine “halal-certified”, and how you can tell if yours is up to standards. But now, it’s time to get into the topic at hand: how to make halal wine. The process is virtually the same as how to make non alcoholic wine, but with one major caveat: manufacturers must produce their bottles in facilities free from any sort of alcohol, to err on the side of caution. With all this said, let’s talk about the two different methods wineries use when it comes to how to make non alcoholic wine.

Cold Filtration Method

The first method of crafting halal wine is the cold filtration method. Here, alcohol is removed from traditional wine without the use of heat. This is important because it really traps in those flavors - which can be eradicated through heat. If a company doesn’t use the cold filtration method, the wine may taste a bit bland.

Typically, wineries will work in conditions under 55 degrees Fahrenheit. They rely on RO technology (reverse osmosis), which separates out the alcohol from the wine concentrate. After repeating this process sufficiently to remove any alcohol, the concentrate is reintroduced to water to produce the final product. The end result? A full, flavorful wine that can be halal certified. 

Vacuum Method

A third and final approach to making halal wine from traditional wine is the vacuum method. And as you’ll soon discover, this is the most technologically advanced approach. Before we proceed any further, here is something you need to know: boiling wine to remove alcohol kills flavors. We mentioned in breaking down the cold filtration method that temperatures must be kept low to produce a delicious, flavorful final product. And in the vacuum method, wineries can use much lower temperatures to vaporize the alcohol content. The end result of the vacuum process is the removal of alcohol without the removal of flavors - the best of both worlds! 

Can You Make Your Own Halal Wine From Traditional Wine At Home?

The unfortunate reality is that quality halal wine is hard to come by. As companies become more and more accommodating to different cultures, we hope this will change. For the time being though, you may be hard pressed to find tasty wine that is actually halal-certified in your city - unless you live in a metropolis of culture, like New York. This begs the question - can you make your own halal wine from traditional wine at home? After all, you now know how to make non alcoholic wine - can’t you do a bit more research and implement one of these two process yourself?

You can, but we would advise you against it. Both methods, but particularly the vacuum method, require very expensive technology and equipment. At a low scale, it would be seemingly impossible to justify the expense. It is also not an easy process to implement on your own.

So, what can be done? Fortunately, you can get halal-certified wine delivered to your door today at Boisson.

Get Halal Certified Wine Today At Boisson!

If you are looking for a wide variety of flavorful halal certified wine, you’re in the right place. At Boisson, we’re proud to accommodate Muslim culture with the finest selection of non-alcoholic wines that meet halal requirements. We have everything from chardonnay to rose, whites and reds, brut, and more. The best part? You can get these delivered to your door today. Stock up to get free shipping, and experience all that halal-certified wine has to offer today!

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