Does the alcohol in wine increase? New data released

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The new figures from Liv-ex shed light on trends in alcohol levels in fine wines over the past 30 years.

Red wines from Bordeaux, Tuscany, Piedmont and California all had higher average alcohol levels over the decade between 2010 and 2019 than in the 1990s, said Liv-ex, who describes himself as a global market for commerce.

Burgundy is also on the rise, even if it is relatively marginal.

Photo and card credit: Liv-ex.

Liv-ex started recording the abv levels reported last year and has now done so for 35,000 wines. He said 20,000 of them were checked by his warehouse team, who checked the labels on the bottles.

“This is a remarkable snapshot of the significant changes taking place in some of the world’s most important wine regions,” said Justin Gibbs, co-founder and director of Liv-ex.

“These analyzed wines represent wines traded on Liv-ex, a wide range of mainly fine wines. “

Liv-ex said her data has helped quantify a phenomenon that has often been a topic of discussion in the industry and beyond.

however, not all of the regions cited by Liv-ex have seen a steady increase in alcohol in wine since 1990.

Along with a relatively weak development in Burgundy, California saw a big increase between 2000 and 2009, and then a small drop in average abv levels after that, for example.

It is also difficult to generalize for all producers within regions, as Liv-ex noted in their report.

Alcohol levels in wine have generally been linked to the sugar content of grapes, as noted in a 2011 article published by the American Association of Wine Economists (AAWE).

The weather conditions of a particular vintage can affect the alcohol levels in the final wine, as can a plethora of stylistic decisions made by individual winemakers in the vineyard and in the cellar.

The AAWE paper noted a “substantial increase” in sugar levels in California grapes since 1980. It discussed the possibility that this was linked to global warming induced by climate change, but also whether the trends for bolder, more mature styles were influencing decision making in the vineyards.

At Napa Valley’s highly acclaimed Corison Winery, known for its more understated and sleek styling, co-owner and winemaker Cathy Corison said alcohol isn’t a problem for her. in itself but “more of an indicator of all the other things that happen as the grapes ripen”.

She said Carafe, I pick relatively early at moderate sugar levels as I enjoy the bright red and blue end of the cabernet flavor spectrum [such as cherries and blueberries]. ‘

Despite the specter of climate change, Corison said she didn’t find this style more difficult to achieve. “At Corison Winery, we spend a lot of time in the vineyard managing the canopy to make sure we can pick ripe, low-sugar Cabernets.

“Looking to the future, if we continue to enjoy the cold, foggy nights and mornings as an extension of San Francisco Bay, Napa Valley will have the grapes it needs to produce balanced wines.

Balance is often a key term in wine. Andrew Jefford, award-winning writer and co-chair of the Decanter World Wine Awards, noted in a 2018 article that it is possible to find brilliantly constructed styles at the richer, bolder end of the spectrum. where everything is still in balance.

There are good and bad examples of such rich wines, of course, but “any objection in principle to an alcohol content of 14.5% or more is illogical unless these drinkers routinely avoid fortified wines (15, 5% to 22%) and spirits, ”writes Jefford. Carafe magazine.

At the same time, the world of wine has also seen a trend towards weak and alcohol-free wines in recent years, too much.


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