5 WINES WITH THE MOST ALCOHOL
If you follow me on Social Media, you probably are aware that I ask my followers for the content they would like to see.
Like a DJ at your distant cousin’s wedding or your niece’s bat mitzvah, I am here to take all requests.
But seriously, where’s my airhorn?
One of my favorite requests I got was, “Asking for a friend, lol jk lol, but can you do a blog on the wines with the most alcohol? 😂😂😂😶😶😶😐😐😐”
As far as personal preference goes, I typically like low alcohol wines because I want to enjoy my wine without a hangover the next day, but I’ll admit — it is helpful to know what wines are higher in alcohol. And the bottom line is the fact that I am here to serve YOU, dear reader, so I was absolutely delighted to do a bit of research and learn about wines that have the highest alcohol content or ABV.
Joking aside, knowing the ABV of a wine and what gives a wine a higher alcohol percentage is an important thing if you want to be a Thurstqueen or an educated wine drinker.
So let’s take a quick second to talk about the two factors that make a wine have a higher alcohol content.
WARM CLIMATES
SUGAR
Think about it this way — warmer climates lead to riper grapes. Riper grapes have more…? Sugar! Grapes higher in sugar have more food for the yeast to eat, and if you remember my blog — Storytime! Let’s Talk About How Wine Is Made… you will remember that yeast eats sugar and poops alcohol!
The more sugar the yeast has to eat, the more alcohol it poops out before it dies… poetically… and tragically…. in its own shit.
So… the next time you’re looking for a wine with a higher alcohol percentage — maybe you’re having a party, maybe you’re visiting extended family over the holidays, who knows — keep in mind:
WARM CLIMATES & SUGAR
Now, I know some of y’all are gonna be reading this thinking that if a wine has a lot of sugar that means it’s going to be sweet. That’s not necessarily the case!
Think about it — if the sugar has been eaten and pooped out as Ethanol, that’s not very sweet… is it? Because it’s just straight up alcohol.
So without further ado, I’m going to share 5 different types of wines you can find with the most alcohol for whatever purposes you may have. Just make sure you don’t overindulge and get your Advil out.
AUSTRALIAN SHIRAZ
What’s Shiraz, you ask? Is it different from Syrah?
Guess what? It’s not! They’re the same grape! It’s just grown in a different climate. Australian Shiraz grows in a lot warmer of a climate than, say, the Northern Rhône. Shiraz from Australia tends to be plumper and fruitier.
You can expect Australian Shiraz to burst fourth with blackberries, plums, blueberries, chocolate and pepper. Some Shiraz does have a little extra sugar - or what we like to call, “Residual Sugar,” in the biz.
If you love chocolate covered blueberries, Shiraz will be your jam.
CHARDONNAY FROM AUSTRALIA, CHILE, OR CALIFORNIA
Do you remember my blog post, Chardonnay -And No, It’s Not Just For Moms? well, if you don’t, be sure to pop on that hyperlink and get a refresher course in this bodacious, creamy, va va voom varietal.
Chardonnay is higher in alcohol, no doubt. As far as white varietals go, Chardonnay is probably the booziest of the bunch — especially when it’s grown in warm climates like parts of California, Australia, or Chile.
Generally speaking, those higher alcohol Chardonnays are going to have flavors of pineapple, papaya, peaches, with an unmistakable richness to them. Warm climate Chardonnays will usually be aged in stainless steel - so you’re just getting that bright fruit - or oak.
If you’re a fan of toasty, coconut flavors - definitely opt for warm climate Chardonnays aged in new oak. You can expect to get beautiful flavors of pie crust, brioche, and vanilla as well.
CALIFORNIA ZINFANDEL
Out of all the high alcohol wines on the list, California Zinfandel probably takes the cake. This boozy little grape has a notoriously high-octane reputation.
If you’ve read my blogpost - #ZINNING - you’ll see that Zinfandel tends to have a higher alcohol percentage than a lot of grapes. It’s also got a lot of sugar.
Zinfandel is often maligned by some wine snobs as jammy and overloaded with alcohol, but really nice Zins can have loads of complexity to them. Picture aromas of hickory, strawberry jam, tobacco and even allspice.
Forget bbq and beer - whip out a bottle of Zinfandel the next time you get to grilling!
Zinfandel is a classic #burgerwine and it pairs great with anything you want to throw on the grill.
GSMs FROM CALIFORNIA OR AUSTRALIA
Where my Paso people at?
If anybody reading this blog has been to Paso Robles, they will probably have tried a GSM. GSM stands for Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre. These are the grapes that are used in the blend of the wine.
GSMs can have varying ratios of Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre and they are modeled off of Châteauneuf de Pape from the Southern Rhône.
Flavors you get from GSMs are usually soft, brambly red berries. Picture ultra ripe strawberries and raspberries, with baking spices like cinnamon, black pepper, leather, and even some smokiness. The Mourvèdre in the GSM blend usually adds a bit of tannins and structure to the wine.
FORTIFIED WINE
What is fortified wine? You ask?
Good question. Fortified wine is a wine where a distilled spirit, like brandy, is added to kind of give it a little extra “oomph,” in terms of alcohol.
Examples of fortified wines would be Sherry, Marsala Wine, Vermouth, Port and Madeira.
Fortified wines are consumed a lot in other countries, and for some reason the US doesn’t have that much love for them. I never understood this because I’m OBSESSED with fortified wines (more specifically Sherry.)
I think a lot of the hesitancy towards fortified wines in America is people don’t know what to do with them.
Sherries for example are amazing with cheeses, fruits and almonds, especially if you’re drinking a dry fino or a more oxidative oloroso sherry. There’s a surprising amount of versatility to sherries - even ones as interesting as oloroso sherries. Try pairing an oloroso sherry with chocolate peanut butter pretzels and have your mind blown.
I think I should take some time to dive deeper into fortified wines like Port, Sherry and Vermouth in later posts. What do you guys think? Let me know in the comments.
Until then, let’s get into the—
PICK OF THE WEEK - Vermina White Vermouth $21.99 @ The Wine House
I was first introduced to Vermina Vermouth at this awesome Spanish spot called Moruno in Downtown LA. The space was inside the expansive and bustling food mecca inside the city that happens to be Grand Central Market. I was rolling my distributor’s bag around the swelteringly hot city. Naturally, I was completely parched and in need of some refreshment.
I was fortunate enough to meet David Rosoff, who was running Moruno at the time. He also happened to be one of the great minds behind this refreshingly citrusy, slightly herbal, little fortified wine. He gave it to me in a spritz mixed with some soda water. I’d never had a spritz before and I have to tell you it was one of the most delightful experiences I’ve had in beverage form I could remember.
If you’re an Aperol Spritz fan - who isn’t - I highly recommend shaking things up imbibing wise and giving a Vermouth Spritz a try. For a lower ABV drink, try mixing 2 ounces of Vermina Vermouth with about 4 ounces of soda water. Be sure to garnish with some fresh rosemary and green olives.
This delightful blend of Pinot Grigio, Riesling, and just a touch of Malvasia is the passion project helmed by David Rosoff and Steve Clifton. For those who are learning about California Wines, Steve Clifton is a legend in these here parts. The man is the mastermind behind Palmina Wines - a winery based out of Santa Barbara that specializes in cultivating beautiful Italian vines in Sunny California.
Vermina White Vermouth is the perfect beverage as we transition through those hot Summer months into Fall. If you’re living in LA, you’re probably well aware that some of our hottest months are in October and November, making Vermina a perfect choice to help you beat the heat.