Some Like it Hot

[Rebel Rose]

Some Like it Hot

A very interesting history of the rise in popularity and production of high alcohol wines, by the controversial owner of Vinovation in Sonoma. He doesn't seem to be grasping fo the ultimate, shocking sound bite here but delivers a very thought provoking piece. It's long, but well worth the read. (I like the cartoon, too.)

Wine alcohol levels certainly are climbing. Elin McCoy reported in her Bloomberg column, “High-Octane Wine Fashion Craze Provokes Dumping, Rebellion,” that her survey of California wine labels indicates a rise from 12.5 percent in 1971 to a 14.8 percent average in 2001. Mind you, back then, common practice was to print multiple vintages of labels (with the vintage on a neck label) and to show the alcohol as 12.5 percent, taking advantage of the 1.5 percent federal leeway below 14 percent. But Australian Wine Research Institute figures show the same trend for their wines based on actual analysis: from 12.8 in 1975 to 14.5 percent today.

[MattJohnson]

Wow, what an interesting article. It is so interesting how over the years the drinking habits of the country has changed and how the industry influences/reacts to that.

[Don Giovanni]

Mary,

Just a thought...

people are getting fatter and they need the more alc by vol to get a buzz...

[MattJohnson]

Mary,

Just a thought...

people are getting fatter and they need the more alc by vol to get a buzz...

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And those monster fruit bombs go GREAT with Big Mac's!

Edited September 12, 2007 by MattJohnson (log)