Tell us about your backgrounds and how you got into wine.
Gabi Lamb: Wine has always been a part of my life - my grandfather made wine at home, and it was always at the centre of our family gatherings. After graduating with a law degree and building a career in finance, I started learning about wine as a passion project. The more I learned, the more I fell in love with it, and I wanted to share that excitement with others. That led me to launch my own wine tasting events company, which eventually became my full-time career.
As I got older, I found I couldn’t drink wine the same way. I loved it, but I needed something lighter. My husband and I realised we weren’t alone in this, so we started exploring whether it was possible to create a lower ABV wine that still delivered on taste. As a mother of three under three, my health and wellness journey also shifted my relationship with alcohol - I couldn’t afford a hangover, but I wasn’t willing to give up wine. Mid-strength wine became the product I truly needed, and I knew others would feel the same.
Russell and Gabi Lamb wanted to create a mid-strength brand that elevated the quality and credibility of the category
Russell Lamb: My journey with wine has not been typical. I had a passion for wine and wanted to deepen my expertise, so I earned my WSET Level 2 qualification. I supported Gabi with her wine tasting events company through my project management expertise, helping it grow into a huge success.
Being Type 1 diabetic, maintaining a healthy and balanced lifestyle is crucial for me. I’m usually training for a sporting event and often have to question everything I’m consuming. I started wondering - why did wine have to be so strong and full of empty calories? Together with Gabi, we began exploring alternatives. We loved wine but hated the heavy head that often followed. We wanted to make special occasions more enjoyable, believing that if beer and cider can have 6% ABV or less and still taste great, then wine can too.
Tell us about 6Percent a brand and how it came to be?
Our goal was clear from the start: to create a high-quality, no-compromise, great-tasting wine with lower alcohol. Taste was our priority. We didn’t initially set out with 6% ABV in mind, but through extensive trial and error, we found that 6% was the sweet spot - it preserved flavour while offering a lighter drinking experience. After two and a half years of development, we had found the perfect mid-strength wine offering.
Why position the brand in the mid-strength wine category?
We created the wine we wanted in our own lives. People today are looking for balance - it’s not about all or nothing. Mid-strength wine allows you to enjoy a glass (or two) without overindulging. It’s about savouring great flavours, pairing it with food, with the added bonus of not suffering the negative consequences the next day!
Why did you choose to go as low as 6% when others in the category sit at 8-9% ABV?
6Percent wine was singled out by Helen McGinn on BBC's Saturday Morning Kitchen as a dealcholised wine with true wine credentials
We found that 6% delivers the best of both worlds: full flavour with a light, easy-drinking experience. Anything higher, and it starts feeling too similar to regular wine. Anything lower, and you lose flavour. At 6%, you cut your alcohol intake by half compared to traditional wine - that’s a significant reduction - without compromising the taste and experience.
What is the process behind getting the wine down to 6% ABV?
Grapes are gently de-stemmed and crushed to preserve the natural ingredients.
Fermentation occurs in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks to maintain fresh, fruit-forward flavours. The base wine is made from Merlot grapes, with alcohol carefully removed through vacuum distillation, preserving delicate aromas and structure that might otherwise be lost with other evasive alcohol removing techniques.
The base wine is blended with separately vinified Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon to achieve the desired taste and ABV. Some of the blend is aged with mocha oak chips to enhance complexity.
Some in the trade worry about mid-strength wine quality putting consumers off. What’s your response?
With 6PerCent the Lambs want to provide a mid-strength wine for people who still want to enjoy a quality wine-based drink
Quality and flavour is our top priority. Mid-strength wines vary significantly in how they’re made, which impacts quality. We never water down our wine or rely on excessive sugar - it’s simply well-crafted wine from one of the world’s best regions.
Our strong D2C sales prove that consumers want mid-strength options that fit their lifestyle. While some of the trade may be hesitant, the health and wellness trend isn’t going anywhere. This is what consumers want, and retailers and restaurants should embrace it. We genuinely believe that by offering more options on their menus to cater to those who are moderating, it will encourage guests to visit more often, stay longer, and ultimately spend more.
The trade should aim to create wine lists that are inclusive for all guests - whether they are moderating their drinking, choosing to drink less on a particular occasion, or prioritising their health.
Why 6% ABV instead of 0% ABV wine? Beer has seen huge demand for 0%, but not mid-strength. Is there a risk of being stuck in the middle?
We’re not competing with 0% wine. We’re here for people who love wine but want a lighter option. 0% wines often struggle with taste and texture as alcohol provides this element so without it you have to add in additional ingredients. Whereas at 6% ABV we maintain flavour, complexity, and balance. It’s the perfect middle ground.
Where are you selling 6Percent, and what are your distribution and growth plans?
In 2025, we’re focusing on premium on-trade venues, continued D2C expansion, and select off-trade retail placements. We are also delighted to have former senior marketing executive at Diageo, Pernod Ricard and Suntory, Jason Sennitt, on board to help shape our marketing and commercial strategy.
Your first wine is made from Bordeaux grapes. Why Bordeaux?
We wanted a wine that could hold its character even after alcohol is removed. Bordeaux is known for its bold, structured wines, making it the perfect choice. Quality was also key - we wanted premium grapes from one of the world’s best regions. And it worked.
Would you consider other wine regions in the future?
Absolutely. We’re already exploring different regions, grapes, and styles. Our goal is to showcase a range of 6% wines that highlight diverse terroirs and varieties.
What are your hopes for the mid-strength category, and what changes need to happen?
6Percent wine has a clearly well thought through website that explains the thinking and process behind making the brand
We want mid-strength wine to become mainstream - not a niche, but a standard option on every wine list. Trade and retailers need to prioritise having mid-strength and lower ABV wines on their menus to meet consumer demand.
The stats are out there - recent IWSR data shows that 64% of consumers globally are now claiming to be moderating their alcohol consumption. 31% of consumers are leaving a venue early because they are disappointed with the poor low / no options (Kam Insight: Drink Differently report 2024). Yet there has been little change to any wine lists.
Ultimately mid-strength wine is perfect for wine lovers who are moderating. It allows them to be included in social situations, drinking what they love, whilst still maintaining their health and wellness goals.
On the reverse, mid-strength is a strong sell for the trade; it enables them to offer customers healthier drinking options which will encourage people to turn up to an event or restaurant booking that they might have otherwise missed. As well as this, there is the opportunity for trade to upsell a customers’ soft drink, or worse no drink at all.
Mid-strength is more than just a drink - it’s a lifestyle. Once people see how it fits in with their lifestyle - whether that’s a mid-week drink, unwinding at the end of the day or with a Sunday roast - the mid-strength category will thrive. They’ll soon wonder how they ever got by without it!
Anything else to add?
This is just the beginning. Mid-strength wine is set to be one of the biggest trends in the coming years. With plans to expand the 6 Percent range, we’re excited to see the response from both the trade and consumers.
* You can find out more about 6Percent here.
Stockist info: RRP: £12.99;l ABV: 6%; 75cl bottle with cork closure. Available from 6percent.wine and some independent retailers.
Instagram: @6percent.wine.
