Based on informal discussions with winemakers, the study’s authors reported that some “admitted that they deliberately chose to understate the alcohol content on a wine label, within the range of error permitted by the law, because they believed that it would be advantageous for marketing the wine to do so.” In other words, Château Fruit Bomb believes that consumers are turned off by big alcohol. (Another incentive for distortion: Wines with more than 14 per cent generally are charged a higher tax rate.)
Other questionable practices are taking root to assuage consumer fear. Some producers resort to such technologies as reverse osmosis and spinning cones to extract alcohol, but these tweaks can yield off-balance wines. Then there’s the blunt garden-hose method: adding water, which is illegal in many regions.
Decry high-octane reds we may, but there is one advantage to excessive alcohol (besides the fact that it can make Ashton Kutcher’s lines in Two and a Half Men sound funny). “It binds the free water in the wine and enhances the body,” Dr. van Vuuren said. “The wine becomes more viscous.” Velvety bombs are prized by many consumers, not to mention wine critics.
But if you’re moderation-inclined, I’d suggest looking to regions and grapes that tend toward demure alcohol levels. White wines are generally harvested earlier and tend to have lower alcohol levels than reds. Off-dry whites, usually bottled before yeasts have converted all the sugar to alcohol, have among the lowest. Cool regions with shorter growing seasons are an especially fertile field. Think Canada, cooler vineyards of France (especially the Loire Valley, but also Bordeaux), northeast Italy (home of Valpolicella) and Germany.
Certain styles are also worth exploring, such as sparkling wine, whose grapes tend to be harvested early, Australian semillon, vinho verde from Portugal and moscato d’Asti, a lightly sweet Italian white with about 5 to 6 per cent alcohol.
The accompanying sidebar lists a few selections I enjoyed recently. But don’t take my word for the alcohol levels; I’m just going by the labels.
Cave de Lugny Brut Crémant de Bourgogne 2008 (11.5% alcohol by volume; dry sparkling white; France; $19.95)
Summerhill Pyramid Cipes Rose Pinot Noir (12%; dry sparkling rosé; B.C.; $29.95)
Sue-Ann Staff Semi-Dry Riesling 2008 (10%; lightly sweet white; Niagara; $14.95)
Hinterbrook Riesling 2010 (12.4%; off-dry white; Niagara; $17.95)
Paul Anheuser Schlossbockelheimer Konigsfels Riesling Kabinett 2009 (10%; off-dry white; Germany; $17.95)
Mont’Albano Pinot Grigio 2010 (12%; dry white; Italy; $16.95)
Cave Cidis Morges 2010 (12%; dry white; Switzerland; $18.95)
Uggiano Prestige Chianti 2009 (12.5%; red; Italy; $15.95)
Trivento Amado Sur 2009 (12% red; Argentina; $15)
ERA Merlot Veneto 2009 (12.5%; red; Italy; $9.95)
