The Popularity Of Higher Alcohol Wines

The trend toward high alcohol wines is blamed on Robert Parker. Considered the most influential wine writer in the world, he developed the industry standard 100-point system for evaluating wine. Since Robert Parker tends to reward high alcohol wines, especially red wines, with high scores, winemakers are responding by making wines with higher alcohol content and wine clubs are making these wines available to members.

Even though Robert Parker set the standard for high alcohol content wines (jumping from 12.5% to 14.5% and higher), it seems consumers and wine of the month club members are also responding as sales of these wines have increased.

Why This Is So

Wine experts believe that over the past 15 years, consumers have turned from occasional wine drinkers into wine enthusiasts as wine clubs have become increasingly popular. They are not only drinking wine with meals but are also drinking wine alone as a cocktail, without accompanying food.

Many consumers and wine of the month club members like the taste of wine, especially red wine, without food. These red wines are smooth because the grapes used are riper. The tannins in the skins of the grapes that contribute to the texture are softer with riper grapes, they taste sweeter, and they have less acid. These qualities are not as important in wine consumed with food at dinner. With a meal, people prefer acidic wines that have texture and tannins that refresh in addition to an absence of strong fruit flavors that compete with the flavor of the foods.

Red Is Now More Popular Than White

In addition to preferring high alcohol wines, consumers and wine clubs are trending toward red wines over white. Many experts believe this is because there is less of a preference for a fruity taste with food and the health benefits of red wine touted by medical professionals. In addition, wine of the month club surveys report have found that men seem to think of white wine as more of a woman’s drink and tend to see red wine as more masculine.

How High Alcohol Wines Can Affect You

Most people don’t know that the alcohol content of wines can have a huge impact on their wine cellar. Unfortunately, bottles of wine with an alcohol content of more than 15% won’t last in storage. The acid in these wines, which is the single most important element contributing to the longevity of a wine, simply won’t last, especially in wines like Zinfandels.

Another way high alcohol wines affect you, is that you can only drink a little bit of 15% alcohol wine if you expect to drive home, whereas you could have more of a 12.5% alcohol content wine.

Lastly, high alcohol wines lose their varietal character after a while, resulting in them all tasting alike. For example, over a period of time, Cabernet, Syrah, and Zinfandel wines possessing a high alcohol content will eventually be indistinguishable from one another. The unique taste of wine only comes at a lower alcohol level. So, if you’re a wine of the month club fan of Cabernet, you’ll have more flavor at 12.5% than at 15% alcohol content.

By keeping the alcohol content of a wine in mind, you’ll always find a wine that suits your palette, whether it is a lower alcohol wine with a burst of flavor or a popular higher alcohol content wine available from wine clubs.

-Kent Camp

SCARY WINES TO DIE FOR

It’s time once again for that evening full of GHOSTS, GOBLINS, VAMPIRES and WEREWOLVES; along with the rest of the SCARY people in our population that walk around looking like ZOMBIES from “THE NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD”. It’s a great night of apple-bobbing and imbibing (with a designated driver, of course!).

HALLOWEEN always reminds me of the joke referring to a GHOST’S diet existing of “SPOOKETTI”. Whether you’re having “SPOOKETTI” or any other fare, there are plenty of GRISLY good ideas for serving wine.

A few of my favorites include the some of the obvious mixed with the more esoteric. To start, I enjoy Chateau Routas “INFERNET”. The winery is located on the site of the “TROU DE L’INFERNET”, or “HELL HOLE”, which is a huge cavernous hole in the ground where the DEVIL is rumored to reside. This wine from Provence, France, is a DEADLY blend of Grenache, Cabernet, and Syrah.

For Zinfandel, there are two very SCARY choices. One is the clever “POIZIN” that arrives in a COFFIN shaped box with a SKULL and CROSSBONES screen-printed on the bottle. The other is called “HELL ‘N Back”. Both are from California and worth your while.

If you’re thirsting for a SUCKULENT Shiraz, you should UNEARTH the Trevor Jones “WILD WITCH” Shiraz. This wine is well-balanced yet so full of pepper that FRANKENSTEIN would sneeze.

From Toad Hollow Vineyards is “EYE OF TOAD” Pinot Noir Rose. Its HAUNTING light strawberry character pairs well in your CAULDRON with “EYE OF NEWT”.

Definitely a DEVILISH choice for the dollar is “EVIL Cabernet” with the slogan, “IT’S JUST WRONG”. I’ve never tried the Romanian “WEREWOLF Wines”, but they were shot with SILVER BULLETS by the reviewers.

A big favorite of “VLAD THE IMPALER” are “VAMPIRE Wines”. Produced are a full line of varietals including two Cabernet; one from Paso Robles and the other from the Recas Vineyards in TRANSYLVANIA. The Paso wine is fruit-forward and blended with Merlot and Syrah, while its counterpart from the OLD COUNTRY is more intense and the color of BLOOD.

Speaking of BLOOD, we can’t forget the Hungarian “Egri Bikaver”, or “BULL”S BLOOD of Eger”. This KILLER Bordeaux blend has been a staple for centuries and is truly one to DIE for.

From Concha Y Toro winery in Chile comes “CASILLERO DEL DIABLO” Cabernet Sauvignon. To discourage pilfering of wine by his workers, Don Melchor named his prestigious caves the “CELLAR OF THE DEVIL”.

Sparkling hard ciders provide a GHOULISH wine alternative, as well as a GRAVEYARD full seasonal Beer and Ales such as “Dogfish Head Punkin’ Ale”; a brown ale eminating from beautiful Dover, Delaware, full of pumpkin, brown sugar, allspice, cinnamon and nutmeg. Who needs pie?

HAPPY HALLOWEEN,

John

Friday, October 14 & Saturday, October 15

from 3-7 pm

Join us for a very special Scotch Whisky tasting!