Why so many reds with high alcohol?

[NVNVGirl]

Randall, let me preface this by saying that I truly appreciate your wines and have been a fan for many years.

I love red wines especially BIG reds, but have noticed in the past several years that a lot of the California reds seem to be getting hotter and hotter. Is this a intentional shift or what? I don't mind high alcohol, but it seems that many of the Zins and even Cabs are not as well-balanced as they used to be. Perhaps I'm just drinking them too soon, but we dine out a lot and it just seems that it's getting more and more difficult to find a well-balanced red below the $100 range.

Thank you also, for sharing your time and expertise with us here! Seana Nightingale

[Randall Grahm]

Dear Seana,

I know that restaurants will often gouge mercilessly on their mark-ups but you are travelling in a very etherial crowd. I agree with you that there has definitely been alcohol inflation in recent years. This has come largely due to a particular mental virus that has infected the winemaking population at large, that seems to compel the harvest of riper and riper grapes. The popular press, in particular, Robert Parker, seems to be beating the drum very loudly for this sort of wine style - one that has more in common with say port than with table wine. Myself, I am somewhat of a lightweight as far as alcohol consumption; a little seems to go a long way. If I could drink wines that were lower in alcohol that still offered great complexity and flavor interest, I would be very pleased as I could enjoy another glass. Cheers, RG.