UNDERSTANDING ALCOHOL LEVEL IN WINES
When it comes to taste and potency, it’s all about the ripeness of the grape
Does the alcohol level in your wine play a role in your decision whether or not to buy it? I was asked by a Gazette reader why the same grape, cabernet sauvignon in this instance, can be as low as 12.5 per cent in some instances and more than 14 per cent in others. Is one better than the other?
The reader wanted wines that have less alcohol, and for her it was an important factor in her decision what to drink. But lower alcohol is not necessarily better. It comes down to what you like in your wine.
Alcohol is related to grape ripeness. The riper the grapes at harvest, the more sugar you will find in the juice after the grapes are crushed. If all this sugar is fermented, you will have more alcohol.
Acids decrease as grapes ripen, which is why an unripe grape tastes sour. Higher-alcohol wines tend to be less acidic, so if you like rich-textured wines, you have a better chance of finding one at or above 14 per cent.
Ripeness will also affect the aromas and flavours of the wine itself. The best example of this is how syrah tastes in the Northern Rhône. Syrah is the only grape allowed to be used in the region and, as you move from its northernmost and coolest appellation, Côte-Rôtie, to its southernmost expression, Cornas, syrah will show itself in very different ways.
Côte-Rôtie is rarely above 13 per cent alcohol and is known for being floral, red-fruited and with a peppery finish. Cornas is always above 13 per cent alcohol and most often shows dark fruit notes like cassis. Rather than flowers and pepper, it will be earthier, with smoky notes as well as licorice.
The other important difference is phenolic ripeness. In red wines, this means tannins. Cabernet sauvignon from California’s Sonoma region and Bordeaux are structurally very different wines. A young Bordeaux is often drying on the finish, while a Napa cabernet is less so. As grapes ripen, these tannins, which are found in the skin and seeds of the grape, change. The riper tannins in a Napa cab bring much less bitterness to the palate. While many winemakers down there refer to them as “sweet tannin,” they are simply less bitter.
In general, lower-alcohol red wines tend to have higher acidities, drier tannins and more nuanced aromatics and flavours. Those with higher levels of alcohol will show less nuance and more power. Which is better depends on you.