I'm gravitating towards lower ABV wines, in part for some of the health/hangover avoidance reasons you suggest in your response to Carl Giavanti, and in part because the wines just please me more, in general. My pinot noir buys are drifting north from Sonoma to Oregon, over time. I like seeing the pendulum swing away from the Parker ideal, even in some of the hotter areas of CA, where 15% and higher is the norm. Darrell Corti may just be getting the last laugh! Cheers, Paul, enjoyed this article very much.
Paul, I was pleased to see the focus on low alcohol in article and the Eila Wines reviews, It was a thoughtful exchange with the producer on the subject. I just returned from a press trip to Paso Robles and enjoyed the wonderful Rhone and Bordeaux style wines they produce. I mentioned my concern about alcohol levels, the no and low alcohol movements, as well as some of the neo prohibitionist noise. It’s the tall poppy that’s clipped first. That is, some of the wines were clocking at well north of 15% alc and some even above 18%. Not sure how they can mitigate this, and concerned long term about market perceptions. Thoughts? Cheers, Carl
Thanks Carl! You make an interesting connection between high abv and no-lo wines. If more wineries followed the examples I cited I believe more younger drinkers would find wine attractive. I can drink a couple of glasses of Eila (and others like them) and not feel it. One glass of 16% Petit Sirah and I'm done for the night. As for how to mitigate super high abv numbers - well first you have to want to! Then you have to consider everything you are doing in the vineyard. Are you doing things to bump up sugars and drop crop? Might wanna reconsider. I don't think it's out of reach for most regions to lower their abv numbers if they want to.
Excellent article. Happy to hear winemakers are rejecting Parker's influence. Also I have recently encountered 2 Oregon Syrahs( Padigan's and Reustle's) that were elegant in style. Finesse over power!
Thank you Norm! And I agree with you on the Syrahs - also check out Willamette Valley Syrahs from Cristom and Bergstrom - very good and in a more restrained, savory style.
I'm gravitating towards lower ABV wines, in part for some of the health/hangover avoidance reasons you suggest in your response to Carl Giavanti, and in part because the wines just please me more, in general. My pinot noir buys are drifting north from Sonoma to Oregon, over time. I like seeing the pendulum swing away from the Parker ideal, even in some of the hotter areas of CA, where 15% and higher is the norm. Darrell Corti may just be getting the last laugh! Cheers, Paul, enjoyed this article very much.
Paul, I was pleased to see the focus on low alcohol in article and the Eila Wines reviews, It was a thoughtful exchange with the producer on the subject. I just returned from a press trip to Paso Robles and enjoyed the wonderful Rhone and Bordeaux style wines they produce. I mentioned my concern about alcohol levels, the no and low alcohol movements, as well as some of the neo prohibitionist noise. It’s the tall poppy that’s clipped first. That is, some of the wines were clocking at well north of 15% alc and some even above 18%. Not sure how they can mitigate this, and concerned long term about market perceptions. Thoughts? Cheers, Carl
Thanks Carl! You make an interesting connection between high abv and no-lo wines. If more wineries followed the examples I cited I believe more younger drinkers would find wine attractive. I can drink a couple of glasses of Eila (and others like them) and not feel it. One glass of 16% Petit Sirah and I'm done for the night. As for how to mitigate super high abv numbers - well first you have to want to! Then you have to consider everything you are doing in the vineyard. Are you doing things to bump up sugars and drop crop? Might wanna reconsider. I don't think it's out of reach for most regions to lower their abv numbers if they want to.
Excellent article. Happy to hear winemakers are rejecting Parker's influence. Also I have recently encountered 2 Oregon Syrahs( Padigan's and Reustle's) that were elegant in style. Finesse over power!
Thank you Norm! And I agree with you on the Syrahs - also check out Willamette Valley Syrahs from Cristom and Bergstrom - very good and in a more restrained, savory style.