Brian, sorry for the wall of text, but it still baffles me that producers seem to think alchoolic strengh is to be pushed. That's not what wine is about, of course. Here a portuguese critic review on that particular subject. Most names will not be familiar to you but that's not relevant.
Beware, Google translation did the job for me so expect a few funny bits of text
Suddenly it seems that all the wines have become too alcoholic. The people protest, the GNR (Note: traffic police) protests, the critics protest, the winemakers apologize and protest. After all, what's ging on about alcohol in wine? Do wines really need to be so graduated?
Just a few years ago, a wine with 13% alcohol was considered something "strong" and consumed with caution. Today, 13% is a weak wine: if it does not have 14%, it is not taken seriously. In a panel of tops of range of the Douro or Alentejo, it is common the most frequent graduation is 14,5%, appear many 15% and some 15,5% - certainly more than 13.5%. I speak of red, but the truth is that with the whites the phenomenon repeats, although with less expression. 10% and 11% wines are often considered light, but the most ambitious whites easily have 13.5% and 14%, and they hit 14.5% and 15%. Like, in the reds I've seen on the shelves some 16%.
Etc, etc, etc...
(no champagne emoji on TM!)
