Production of a low-alcohol fruit beverage

A method for producing a fermented fruit beverage having a reduced alcohol content, comprising:

• (a) inoculating a fruit must with at least one Lactobacillus plantarum strain in an amount of at least 5×106 CFU/ml and fermenting the fruit must with the at least one Lactobacillus plantarum strain for at least 24 hours;
• and
• (b) after fermenting the fruit must with the at least one Lactobacillus plantarum strain for at least 24 hours, fermenting the fruit must with at least one yeast strain to obtain a fermented fruit beverage,
• wherein at least a portion of sugar in the fruit must is converted by the fermenting with the at least one Lactobacillus plantarum strain prior to the fermenting with the at least one yeast strain,
• wherein the fermented fruit beverage is selected from red wine, white wine, sparkling wine and cider, and has an alcohol content after step (b) of at least 4% (v/v), wherein the alcohol content of the fermented fruit beverage after step (b) is at least 0.5% (v/v) less than the alcohol content of a fermented fruit beverage prepared by the same method but without inoculating and fermenting the fruit must with the Lactobacillus plantarum strain(s).