http://www.uncork29.com/blog/2008/02/25/debate-over-the-appropriate-percentage-of-alcohol-in-your-wine-rages-on/ The premiere blog of the Napa Valley Sat, 13 Mar 2010 11:28:10 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 http://www.uncork29.com/blog/2008/02/25/debate-over-the-appropriate-percentage-of-alcohol-in-your-wine-rages-on/comment-page-1/#comment-31034 Mark Koppen Tue, 26 Feb 2008 18:53:58 +0000 http://www.uncork29.com/blog/2008/02/25/debate-over-the-appropriate-percentage-of-alcohol-in-your-wine-rages-on/#comment-31034 I think the highest alc "table wine" I've ever had was a 16.9% pinot noir from a prominent high-scoring winery in RRV with a very prominent consulting winemaker. I couldn't drink it - the PN character was OK, but it tasted like it had alcohol added to it separately - it really stood out. At August Briggs this past harvest we had one very ripe old vine Zin lot reach 16%+, and then the fermentation got stuck with some sugar left. Apparently this can happen sometimes with old vine fruit as the nutrients in the grapes are not as robust to help the fermentation finish. So what Joe decided to do was de-alc a portion of the wine, so get the lot down to 14%, and at that point we can add yeast again to finish the fermentation to dryness. So, bottom line, we're not sure this will make our final Zin blend; the jury's out at this point. This is not normal for us, but it does show some of the issues that can arise with very ripe fruit and in making high alc wines. I think the highest alc “table wine” I’ve ever had was a 16.9% pinot noir from a prominent high-scoring winery in RRV with a very prominent consulting winemaker. I couldn’t drink it – the PN character was OK, but it tasted like it had alcohol added to it separately – it really stood out.
At August Briggs this past harvest we had one very ripe old vine Zin lot reach 16%+, and then the fermentation got stuck with some sugar left. Apparently this can happen sometimes with old vine fruit as the nutrients in the grapes are not as robust to help the fermentation finish. So what Joe decided to do was de-alc a portion of the wine, so get the lot down to 14%, and at that point we can add yeast again to finish the fermentation to dryness. So, bottom line, we’re not sure this will make our final Zin blend; the jury’s out at this point. This is not normal for us, but it does show some of the issues that can arise with very ripe fruit and in making high alc wines.

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