Article from The Asian Age (..the source of ALL my wine news..)
Do those New World Cabernets and Zinfandels make your head spin? Fed up with having to stop drinking after just one glass?
Plenty of wine lovers around the world will have noticed their favorite tipples are getting stronger, and many of them are unhappy about the hangovers that come with increased alcohol levels.
But it seems they have only themselves to blame as experts say that changing consumer tastes are mainly responsible for driving the trend. Wine critics and advances in winemaking techniques also shoulder some of the blame for what experts say are unbalanced wines that can cause health risks and safety issues, casting a pall over the pleasure of imbibing.
“The rise in alcohol content of wine is primarily man-made,” reported a working paper by the American Association of Wine Economists in 2011.
Click here for the full article from The Asian Age.
My Thoughts…
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: There’s a time and a place for high alcohol wines!
I don’t think we’re in any danger of seeing wine stores dominated by wines with 16%+ alcohol wines, but this “high octane trend” does seem to be quickly filtering down to grocery stores and wine lists of chain restaurants.
Maybe I’m getting old, but I myself used to be a big fan of these “monster” wines; but now they give me a hangover after just a few glasses.
As my wine drinking has evolved, I let “subtlety and elegance” take the place of “high alcohol” and “crazy fruit extraction.” I’m not saying that’s the path everyone should take…actually…that’s a lie…that’s EXACTLY what I’m saying! In-fact the sooner drinkers can appreciate wines that don’t “let it all hang out,” the sooner they’ll realize that many of the wines they used to love…well…all taste the same.
With said, the success of brands like Mollydooker and Orin Swift didn’t come because they make subtle and restrained wines. U.S. wine drinkers DO love some “guts” to their juice; at least, that’s what I’ve found, but personally these bottles just don’t float my boat the way they used to.
