Is There Such a Thing as Too Much Alcohol?

Those of you who don't have wine-related jobs are probably blissfully unaware of a battle that's raging in California's vineyards over high-alcohol wines. On one side are fans (like all-powerful wine critic Robert Parker) of concentrated, blockbuster reds that weigh in at 15%-plus alcohol; on the other are those who lament the loss of finesse and food-friendly acidity that higher alcohol levels often bring about. The debate kicked into high gear last week, when respected Napa Valley winemaker Randy Dunn fired off an e-mail to the wine media saying that this high-alc thing has gone too far, and that consumers should demand an end to the madness.

While there is something of a high-alc backlash going on within the industry, I don't think we'll see consumers dumping their Napa cult wines down the drain in protest anytime soon. The simple fact is that a hell of a lot of people really like that style of wine. I'm a little sick of it myself (it would be nice to be able to drink two glasses of California red with dinner without getting hammered), but that doesn't mean we should burn all the Zin producers alive and rid the store shelves of the over-extracted offenders.

Those who say the high-alc monsters must be stopped propose a seemingly simple solution: Pick the grapes earlier in the season, before they get a chance to develop all that sugar, which is transformed into alcohol by hungry yeast during fermentation. The problem with that, many winemakers say, is that picking the grapes too soon will result in thin, underripe wines with "veggie" flavors and too much acidity.

Yesterday I had the opportunity to put that theory to the test, thanks to an experiment conducted by Santa Barbara County Pinot producer Sea Smoke Cellars. (Cheers to friend and fellow wine writer Jordan Mackay, who prompted the experiement and let me tag along to taste the results!) To find out how the same wine would taste at different levels of ripeness, Sea Smoke chose two adjacent rows in the same vineyard block, and picked one at 23.5 Brix and the other at around 25.8 (Brix measures the sugar level in the grapes). Other than the picking dates, the grapes and wines received identical treatment. When we tasted the two Pinots side-by-side, we agreed that the "late" picked wine was rounder, and more enjoyable to drink. The "early" wine had an odd aroma, and tasted more acidic (though not unpleasant to drink). The real difference came when we tasted the wines with food (fettucini with Italian fennel sausage, in my case). The "early" wine was clearly a better match; the "late" wine tasted a little hot, and off-balance. The winery didn't test the wines for alcohol content, but it was obvious that the "late" wine had a higher AC. Neither was a bad wine, but they were definitely different.

So, to sum up my take on the high-alc issue: Each style of wine has its place--one at the table and the other at the bar.

Sea Smoke Cellars 2005 Pinot Noir Tasting

Along with the experimental wines, Sea Smoke VP and general manager Victor Gallegas brought along the winery’s latest Pinot releases: Botella, Southing and Ten. (How’s this for a trade: Victor introduced me to Sea Smoke’s lovely 2005 Pinots; I introduced him to the wonders of OxyClean spray, after some of the former wound up on his shirt.) The three Pinots represent three different price-points and styles of Pinot: Botella ($40) is the most delicate in style; Southing ($50) is more complex; Ten is the blockbuster of the trio, a rich and ripe number that sells for ($70).

Though some may call me a cheap date (like $40 is cheap), I love the more reserved style of the Botella, with its bright red-cherry fruit and seamless balance. The Southing has deeper fruit (black instead of red), and a slight leathery character, with more acidity and tannic structure. Ten is the big daddy of the bunch, with unabashedly ripe black-cherry fruit and cedar notes, thanks to aging in 100% new French oak barrels. (New oak packs more of a punch than used oak. Botella was made with about 40% used vs. 60% new, while Southing is made with 65% new and 35% used. That ‘splains the more complex character of the Southing and Ten wines, as well as the higher price-tags. New French oak barrels start at about $700 each, while used barrels go for far less.) All three are lovely wines, offering up a style for just about every palate. (By the way, all three wines are listed at below 15% AC.)

Comments

[leon santoro]

I confess as a winemaker(orfila vineyard) that it was not too long ago that I was worried about making wines that barely exceeded 14% in alcohol.Then we started going for riper and riper fruit!Now my 2005 estate sangiovese ,while it is well balanced, comes in at a huge 16.1%!This harvest I will try and bring it in at least under 15%! I think the time has arrived for the alcohol to return to more moderate levels ! The experiment was fun!!!

[winebroad]

Thanks for posting, Leon! When high-alc wines are done well (as I'm sure yours are) you don't even notice the high AC--that is, until you start falling over after two glasses. I had a great Sangiovese from Rideau (in Solvang) last week, and I had no idea until after the meal that the AC was listed on the label as 16.8% (which probably means that it was 17% or more). It was even good with food. I'd love to hear about your strategies for keeping the AC below 15%. Cheers!

[Alastair Bathgate]

I am firmly in the "keep the alcohol low" camp. Preferably 13 to 13.5% for a red wine.
However, I defend the right of others to drink whatever wines they like at stratospheric alcohol levels if desired! That is the beauty of wine - the variety and range of tastes our buds can experience - there is something for everyone....even Robert Parker!