Future Château, the brainchild of Tom Benn, is set to make waves in the drinks industry this autumn. Launching exclusively at Selfridges, the brand’s debut range of mid-strength wines features a red, white and sparkling wine, each at just 5% ABV. Future Château’s mission is simple: to give customers everything they love about wine without everything they don’t.Crafted exclusively from premium grapes using ancient winemaking techniques, Future Château’s wines offer the depth, aroma and mouthfeel of full-strength vintages – with two-thirds less alcohol and calories. With its debut release, Vintage 1 launching exclusively with Selfridges, Future Château speaks to a fast-growing audience of discerning drinkers seeking high-quality, lower-ABV wines without compromise.
“Most of the low & no conversation is about moderation,” says Benn. “I’m more interested in creating a wine that’s genuinely sessionable – something you want to drink mid-week because it tastes great, not just because it’s lower alcohol.” It’s not about abstinence or moderation mantras, it’s about making wine a luxury fit for modern life.
Having deduced that traditional full-strength wine is too strong for modern life, Benn took on the challenge of developing a wine to be enjoyed beyond just weekends and special occasions. Working across three continents over five years, Benn refined his proprietary method for making lower ABV wine without sacrificing flavour. He developed a unique three-part process that sets Future Château apart from its competitors:
Starting with ancient, traditional methods for naturally making wine lower ABV in the first place.
Future Château then uses cutting edge methods for pairing back the alcohol very, very gently so it doesn’t harm the taste.
Finally, finishing techniques are applied that Benn learned whilst working with some of the world’s top mixologists.
The wines
Syrah Grenache 5% ABV
A juicy, food-friendly red, balancing flavours of ripe fruit with tannic depth and subtle savoury notes. Aged in oak for 2 years, this wine is full of depth that pairs well with tomato-based pasta sauces and rich dinner dishes. Serve chilled for a more summery, Beaujolais-style red, or at room temperature for a more classic expression.
Sauvignon Vermentino 5% ABV
Zippy, bright and wonderfully moreish. A dry white with juicy citrus, subtle salinity, and a crisp, refreshing finish. A bone dry finish without sweetness or syrupy texture, this pairs brilliantly with fish, chicken or salads.
Sparkling 5% ABV
Fresh, bright and beautifully balanced. Crisp citrus notes, fine bubbles, and a bone-dry, champagne-style finish. Made primarily from Chardonnay grapes and aged on the lees for complexity, this is less sweet than Prosecco, and closer in style to Brut Champagne.
The LabelsEach wine from the Future Château range has unique characteristics, but every bottle is wrapped with iconic iridescent labels. Blending the classical gothic style of grand château wines with the camp futurism of the 80’s, Future Château’s bottles are designed in line with what’s inside: the best of the old and the new – combined into something unique for today.
Future Château is available to buy online at futurechateau.com, as well as in store at Selfridges.
