Wine Alcohol

Wine alcohol is pretty much a given right...how many times have you been served alcohol free wine?

During its fermentation process, grape juice sugars are converted to alcohol, and the grape juice is no more just juice..it takes on a life of its own!

In hotter, more arid climates, grape vines have a longer ripening season...think California, Italy, Greece, Spain.

Click here if you're curious about our thoughts on New Jersey's growing season.

The end result is a harvest with more sugar-filled grapes, and thus an end product with more alcohol to boot.

Cooler climates (think Washington & Oregon) grow less-ripened grapes, which is one reason why these regions are more popular for their low-alcohol white wines, than their high-alcohol red wines...

How much alcohol are we talking about?

Well, most wines boast between 8-16% alcohol, although some may exceed this, like our red port.

Alcohol in wine must be balanced out with the rest of the wine's qualities - how acidic is the wine? Is there a strong tannic structure to the wine? Is there an overpowering flavor? Dense body?

All these things may not effect that amount of alcohol in wine, but it certainly does affect our tasting perceptions of that alochol in wine.

Also be assured that drinking wine in moderation is a health boosting habit...

Wine Tasting Notes
Wine Terms for High Alcohol

  • biting
  • blistering
  • brutal
  • burning
  • ferocious
  • fiery
  • heady
  • heated
  • hot
  • monstrous
  • nippy
  • potent
  • punchy
  • rasping
  • scorching
  • spirity
  • stingy
  • tingling
  • warming

* * * * * * *

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