faiblement alcoolisé

English translation: light in alcohol

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)

French term or phrase:	faiblement alcoolisé
English translation:	light in alcohol
Entered by:	Mark Nathan

08:15 Sep 14, 2007

French to English translations [PRO]
Marketing - Wine / Oenology / Viticulture / wine

French term or phrase: faiblement alcoolisé

From a description of rosé wine:

Le nectar, faiblement alcoolisé et léger, a été spécialement conçu pour tous les moments de la journée et de de la nuit.

Normally, I would describe this as a low-alcohol wine, except that it happens to be 12.5%, which in my books is not low alcohol (to me, low-alcohol are like those young, zippy Portuguese or Italian wines with slight carbonation at around 8%).
I have a hunch that they are making reference to the alcohol taste, but cannot think of how to say that in an appetising way - this is for a marketing brochure.
When a wine's alcohol taste is not overpowering, it is often described as smooth, but I wonder if that is not glossing too much?
Any suggestions are welcome, and alas I have to get this out within the next few hours.
Many thanks in advance.

French Foodie KudoZ activity Questions: 424 (none open) (8 closed without grading) Answers: 426
Local time: 14:18

light in alcohol

Explanation:
light in alcohol and easy to drink, this nectar has been designed to be enjoyed at any time of the day or night.

...I guess they mean it's one of those wines that "slips down" very easily

Selected response from:

Mark Nathan
France
Local time: 14:18

Grading comment

Firstly, I want to thank every one for their quick replies and great discussion. After viewing some more of this brand's advertising, it was clear that their scantily clad women posing with wine bottles in 'interesting' positions were not marketing to a crowd that necessarily wanted something with low alcohol! Trendy clubbers, and all that jazz. I ended up with a mix of Tamara's "alternative" and Mark's "easy to drink". Thanks again, everyone!
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer

Summary of answers provided

4 +4

light, and not too alcoholic / strong, this nectar...

Tony M

4 +2

with a comparatively low alcohol content

Carol Gullidge

4 +2

light, refreshing alternative to ...

Tamara Salvio

4 +1

containing little alcohol

Miranda Joubioux (X)

3 +2

Turn it round

Claire Cox

3 +2

low alcohol OR with a low alcohol content

Julie Barber

light in alcohol

Mark Nathan

light in taste

jean-jacques alexandre

nectar with a small quantity of alcohol

Assimina Vavoula

easy

Melzie

Discussion entries: 9

Peter Shortall

United Kingdom

10:49 Sep 14, 2007

Thanks, Tony! It always puzzled me a bit since they seem to speak of "degrees" of drinkability (e.g. "high/medium"), which I never really understood...

Tony M

France

09:50 Sep 14, 2007

I think it's a bit like 'The Emperor's New Clothes', Peter: "We've TOLD you this gut-rot is 'drinkable', so now you WILL swallow it down without grimacing, because our tastes are clearly more sophisticated than yours!"

Peter Shortall

United Kingdom

09:09 Sep 14, 2007

Is this what they mean when they describe a wine as "(very) drinkable"? Maybe not, but I had to ask as I've always wanted to know what it means!

Julie Barber

United Kingdom

09:03 Sep 14, 2007

I was thinking exactly the same as Tone, that it's being put in comparison to something like Muscat Rivesaltes (with ice mmmmmmmmmm...yum). What crisps are we having with this Mara? Gosh it's too early.

Miranda Joubioux (X)

09:01 Sep 14, 2007

I hadn't fully read your question either! What Julie says is probably true. They are probably comparing it to the 16-17% range of wines.

Mark Nathan

France

09:00 Sep 14, 2007

Yes, I like Tony's style - compared to triple distilled eau-de-vie this stuff is virtually water!

Tony M

France

08:55 Sep 14, 2007

No, of course it's not 'low alcohol' — for WINE! But they are referring to this nectar by comparison with typical apéritif drinks (15–20%), which is why they say 'can be drunk at any time of day'. Stop regarding it as a 'wine', and it'll be easier...

French Foodie

ASKER

08:48 Sep 14, 2007

Hi Julie! Yes, that is precisely my concern - as I said in my question, I would normally have no problem translating this term, it's just that it doesn't sit well with me in this particular context, as I don't consider 12.5% low at all. I think what they are trying to say is that although it has normal alchohol levels, it doesn't have a heavy alcohol taste and thus, as Mark suggests, is easy to drink.

Julie Barber

United Kingdom

08:44 Sep 14, 2007

sorry, I hadn't fully read your question - about the actual level of 12.5%! that is not low. That's around average I think for wine. I'd check with them, because they might be trying to pass it off as 'low' compared with some of the stronger wines

Answers

9 mins confidence:

nectar with a small quantity of alcohol

Explanation:
---

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Note added at 13 mins (2007-09-14 08:28:22 GMT)
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or:
containing a small quantity of alcohol
or:
a small quantity of alcohol-containing....

Assimina Vavoula
Greece
Local time: 15:18
Native speaker of:

Greek

8 mins confidence:

peer agreement (net): +1

URGENT faiblement alcoolisé containing little alcohol

Explanation:
This could be at least one way of saying it.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 10 mins (2007-09-14 08:25:36 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

another would be "has a low alcohol content"

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 14 mins (2007-09-14 08:29:31 GMT)
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Interesting article http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?view=BLOGDETAIL&g...

I'd avoid using "reduced" though and stick to "low"

Miranda Joubioux (X)
Local time: 14:18
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 19

Notes to answerer

Asker: Hi Miranda, Thanks for your answer. Perhaps I am reading too much into this, but I am just not sure about describing a 12.5% wine as low alcohol.

21 mins confidence:

URGENT faiblement alcoolisé

light in alcohol

Mark Nathan
France
Local time: 14:18
Specializes in field
Native speaker of:

English
PRO pts in category: 107

Grading comment

10 mins confidence:

URGENT faiblement alcoolisé easy

Explanation:
a word I got from a (wine( marketing company in London. I hate it, hence my low confidence level.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 29 mins (2007-09-14 08:44:48 GMT)
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I'm with you all the way on not saying low for 12.5!

Melzie
Local time: 14:18
Specializes in field
Native speaker of:

English
PRO pts in category: 19

32 mins confidence:

peer agreement (net): +2

URGENT faiblement alcoolisé Turn it round

Explanation:
If you're concerned about the definition of low alcohol contradicting with 12.5% - and I do get your point! - maybe the solution would be to turn it round and say something along the lines of "a light and not too alcoholic wine" or "a light wine with a moderate alcohol content". That would convey restraint whilst not committing it to the ranks of what UK drinkers would normally expect from a low alcohol wine!

Claire Cox
United Kingdom
Local time: 13:18
Native speaker of: English

50 mins confidence:

peer agreement (net): +2

URGENT faiblement alcoolisé with a comparatively low alcohol content

Explanation:
or comparatively low alcohol

-----

comparatively being the operative word here: gets around the problem of it not being low alcohol for wine

Carol Gullidge
United Kingdom
Local time: 13:18
Specializes in field
Native speaker of:

English
PRO pts in category: 32

3 hrs confidence:

peer agreement (net): +2

URGENT faiblement alcoolisé light, refreshing alternative to ...

Explanation:
Here's my take on this. The French have traditionally seen wine as an accompaniment to food. It is part of the meal. The aperitif wines are a special set of sweet, fortified wines (Rivesaltes, etc.). Only in recent years has the list of accepted aperitifs expanded to include some dry whites - chardonnay and viognier in particular - but even this practice seems to be limited to a more branche crowd that can be reached through marketing (I will never see it at my in-laws, for instance).

This rose is trying to reach that crowd as well, saying it's not just for the table, but can also be a lighter (in alcohol) alternative to what is usually served away from the table - i.e., hard alcohol and fortified wine.

The problem is, we anglophones have long ago adopted the idea that wine can be enjoyed on its own "at any time of day or night". This particular text is trying to convince a French population that needs convincing - those who will read this translation will need no convincing!

My advice is to go with a looser translation that reflects what the message is - this wine is a light, refreshing alternative to other alcoholic beverages (traditional cocktails?), and can be enjoyed etc etc

Tamara Salvio
United States
Local time: 05:18
Native speaker of:

English
PRO pts in category: 4

24 mins confidence:

peer agreement (net): +2

URGENT faiblement alcoolisé low alcohol OR with a low alcohol content

Explanation:
Low alcohol beer (also, non-alcoholic beer, small beer, or small ale or near-beer) is beer with very low or no alcohol content.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Low_alcohol_beer

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Note added at 25 mins (2007-09-14 08:40:46 GMT)
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Cascade Premium Light is a low-alcohol lager, which is currently the biggest selling light beer in Australia. Alcohol Content: 2.7%
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cascade_Brewery

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Note added at 1 hr (2007-09-14 10:11:11 GMT)
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Mara if you google "faiblement alcoolisé" you will see that it is frequently the alcohol content. Look at the ref below! low alcohol content for 30%! because it's about cognac, so it's as a comparision to its end content. I think Carole's solution is good.

Ce premier liquide, encore faiblement alcoolisé (environ 30%d'alcool) est appelé brouillis
http://www.ecole-des-cognacs.com/fr/etape-2--creer-des-eaux-...

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Note added at 5 hrs (2007-09-14 13:49:21 GMT)
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apart from the suggestion I've given you 'light alcoholic strength' could work

http://www.cantinebacchini.it/default_en.asp?catalogo=rose

or 'lighter alcoholic strength'

Julie Barber
United Kingdom
Local time: 13:18
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 12

22 hrs confidence:

light in taste

Explanation:
of course, it left us with "léger" coming after, that could be dealt with as "refreshing"

jean-jacques alexandre
France
Local time: 14:18
Specializes in field
Native speaker of:

French
PRO pts in category: 4

42 mins confidence:

peer agreement (net): +4

light, and not too alcoholic / strong, this nectar...

Explanation:
I think by turning it round this way, and avoiding at all costs calling it a 'wine', you'll be able to get around the problem.
Personally, I'd prefer to steer clear of the word 'alcohol' altogether, though I remember my parents saying "You'll like this, it's not too alckie"

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Note added at 2 hrs (2007-09-14 10:52:08 GMT)
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OK, thanks, Mara, for that clarification; in which case, you certainly can't use anything like 'low-alcohol' etc., and I think the 'not too strong' route might be your best bet — at least, if you can find a way of expressing it that fits with your overall register. Remember how often there is a change from negative to positive between FR - EN, as in "deux fois moins cher" > "half the price", and things like 'peu alcoölisé' > 'not too alcoholic'

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Note added at 23 hrs (2007-09-15 07:32:54 GMT)
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In answer to Tamara's comment: yes, I do know about the amount of rosé consumed during the Summer — and yes, I /do/ mean from personal experience ;-))

Probably, the /lack/ of Summer this year is what has caused this glut of the dreaded pink stuff that they're now trying to shift!

Tony M
France
Local time: 14:18
Native speaker of:

English
PRO pts in category: 99

Notes to answerer

Asker: Hi Tony, thanks, as always, for your insights. I should specify, however, that although this particularly sentence refers to it as nectar (I think they're just trying to be poetic), the rest of the brochure definitely calls it a wine.

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English translation: light in alcohol

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