Abstract
The global alcoholic beverage landscape is undergoing a noticeable transformation driven by rising health consciousness, moderation trends, regulatory as well as technological advances that support the development of no- and low-alcohol (NoLo) and low-sulphite wines. In response to these shifts, this thesis explores an integrated approach to wine innovation that connects production technologies, consumer perception, sensory performance, and search for natural alternatives to sulphur dioxide (SO₂) as a preservative. The thesis is sub-divided into four parts. The first part presents a comprehensive review of dealcoholization technologies, describing their working principles and examining their effects on the sensory and chemical characteristics. The study also assessed the stability aspects such as oxidative, microbial and color together with market evolution and regulatory developments. In the next part, a consumer survey carried out in Trentino–Alto Adige (Italy) evaluated consumers’ familiarity, acceptance, and behavioral intentions toward NoLo wines. The analysis revealed generally positive attitudes but low experience levels, with gender, age, and prior alcohol-free beverage consumption significantly influencing acceptance and willingness to recommend. Furthermore, the ordered logit and ordered probit models confirmed familiarity and prior NoLo wine trying experience seems to share a very significant and positive relationship with purchase frequency in both models. To link perception with sensory performance of NoLo wines, an experiment was conducted in the next part, involving consumer group comparing a conventional rosé wine (IGT; 12.5 v/v%) with a partially dealcoholized counterpart (9% v/v). Participants clearly differentiated the two wines but did not penalize the lower-alcohol sample, particularly when sweetness and visual cues met expectations, suggesting that partial dealcoholization can preserve consumer appeal when sensory balance is maintained. Finally, in the fourth part, the thesis investigated the use of hydroxytyrosol (HT), a natural phenolic antioxidant of biotechnological origin, as a potential alternative to SO₂ in organic Sangiovese wines to decrease the amount of allergens in wine. Over one year of storage, HT improved colour stability, reduced dissolved oxygen, and contributed positively to selected sensory descriptors, confirming its antioxidant potential. Together, these studies offer an integrated perspective on the technological, sensory, and consumer aspects shaping the evolution of NoLo and no-sulphite wines. The results contribute to highlight the advanced sustainable innovation at the same time ensuring quality features for consumer acceptance in a challenging wine sector.