When tasting a wine, in addition to tannin, aroma, aftertaste and other factors, alcohol content is also an important dimension for us to evaluate wine. So, what factors affect the level of alcohol content of wine? Does the level of alcohol content affect the quality of wine? This article will take you to understand one or two together.
1. What is alcohol content?
Alcohol content is actually the alcohol concentration or content of a wine. The corresponding expression in English is “Alcohol by Volume”, abbreviated as ABV/abv, which refers to the proportion of ethanol in wine when the temperature is 20°C, and Presented as volume percent. For example, 15% abv means 15ml of ethanol in 100ml of wine.
Alcohol levels vary widely among different types of wine, with some sparkling wines as low as 5.5% abv and some fortified wines as high as 20% abv. The alcohol content of common wines is generally between 8% and 15% abv.
2. What are the factors that affect the alcohol content of wine?
During the fermentation process of wine, the sugar in the grapes is gradually converted into alcohol and carbon dioxide under the action of yeast. Therefore, the high alcohol content of a wine can only mean that this wine has a high sugar content in the wine grapes.
Generally speaking, in regions with warm or hot climates, sufficient sunlight and heat can help the grapes to fully ripen, the sugar content of the grapes is high, and the wine produced will be relatively high alcohol content. In cooler climates, grapes ripen slowly, have lower sugar levels, and produce wines with relatively lower alcohol levels.
In addition, the brewing process also affects the alcohol content of the wine. In the process of grape planting and wine brewing, wineries can use some methods to control the alcohol content of wine, such as delaying harvesting to increase the sugar content of the fruit, thereby increasing the alcohol content of the finished wine; or terminating fermentation early to control the alcohol content etc.
3. Does alcohol content have anything to do with wine quality?
Generally speaking, the high alcohol content of wine means that the sugar content of the wine grapes is high, and it is not necessarily related to the quality of the wine. Even if the alcohol content of a wine is as high as 15%-16% abv, as long as the various elements of the wine can achieve a harmonious balance, the quality of the wine is still excellent. All in all, a really good wine has a very good balance of alcohol, acidity and flavour intensity to give a refined, harmonious mouthfeel without feeling overly alcoholic.
