DUI Defender

Think your wine seems a little boozier? Well, the simple fact is that it is… if you drink reds. In the past, cabernet savignon and other red wines rated 12 to 13 percent alcohol, however the current trend has been toward using later more mature fruit. The reason for using late harvest fruit is a tastier and arguably fuller bodied wine. Additionally, the gradual warming of the climate in grape growing regions may also contribute to the increased sugar levels in the fruit. Unfortunately, a side effect of the later harvested fruit is increased sugar which, in turn, increase the alchol levels of the wine. The alcohol concentrations in these newer wines are 15 to 16 percent. The higher alcohol concentrations make the wine feel “hot,” hence the term “hot wine.”

If you are shopping for wine, labels may be confusing, “wines containing 7 percent to 14 percent alcohol can be labeled just “table wine” or “light wine,” as opposed to listing the alcohol content, under federal regulations. When a percentage is listed it can be off by up to 1.5 percent, a tolerance granted because one batch of wine may differ from another, said Art Resnick, spokesman for the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau in Washington, D.C. Wines over 14 percent alcohol, which fall into a higher tax category, must list alcohol levels with a tolerance of plus or minus 1 percent.”

Obviously, the problems with labeling can lead to difficulty determining how much alcohol a glass or bottle of wine may contain. This presents challenges for people who are consuming wine prior to driving and want to remain below the legal limit.

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