Here's an interesting little tidbit: apparently certain California vintners are experimenting with higher alcohol wine. Not on purpose, necessarily: they're going for a bigger, bolder flavor, but see what happens in the process:
A number of wines have been creeping past 14 percent alcohol and even into the 15- to 16-percent range, as opposed to the tamer 12- to 13-percent of years past. This is largely because vintners wait longer to pick their grapes. More mature fruit is thought to make tastier wine, but it also means sugar levels have a chance to rise, which comes with the side effect of pumping up the alcohol volume. Warmer harvests only increase the phenomenon.
Although some folks seem to think these wines are quite delicious, never mind the "bonus" of the increased percentage points, there are (of course) also detractors. This definition threw me for a loop:
One definition of the "right" alcohol level is if two people can finish a bottle and "wish there was a little bit more," said Randy Dunn, founder of Dunn Vineyards. "You don't do that with a 15.5 percent or 16 percent alcohol wine," he added. "You'd be lying on the floor."
Uh... suuuuure I would. Okay, maybe that's true for some people, and I shouldn't be so flippant. Nevertheless, if the flavor is right, an extra percentage point or two (or three) doesn't seem all that complicated to adjust for as you're sipping. Anyone out there have any opinions on this matter? The wine snobbier the better...
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