Happy New Jersey Wine Month!

Alcohol in Wine

Today, I’d like to talk about another important factor that goes into your wine-alcohol. Yes, unless you are drinking a nonalcoholic wine, the wine in your hands contains alcohol. Typically, there is somewhere between 11% and 15% alcohol in wine. Port-style wines have a little more (19-22% generally) because they are fortified with a neutral grape spirit, like Brandy. Wines have a lower percentage of alcohol in them than hard liquor like whisky or gin, but more than beer. If you have ever had a Barley Wine, you know that they are beers with an alcohol level comparable to wine.

Effect of Alcohol on Wine

So what does alcohol contribute to wine (besides that quality that helps turn a frown into a smile)? Its contribution to the taste of wine varies, largely due to genetics. Some people taste bitterness, while others taste sweetness. It has a definite contribution to the feel of the wine-from the body of the wine to that warmth you experience as it goes down. Then what determines how much alcohol is in your wine? There are many factors involved here. But the sweetness of the grapes used are directly related to the alcohol potential. The grape varietal, the amount of sun and heat in the area grown, the ripeness of the grapes used, and the winemaking techniques utilized are all related factors. The area that the grapes are grown (warm vs cold climate) and the vintage year are therefore important in determining the alcohol level as they dictate the amount of sunshine and heat the grapes get, and the ripeness of the grapes.

Which wines tend to have lower or higher levels of alcohol?

In general, sweet wines and sparkling wines have lower levels of alcohol than dry wines. What are some wines that are typically lower in ABV (alcohol by volume)? Rieslings (especially from cooler climates) tend to be lower in alcohol (sometimes in the 9-11% ABV range). Moscato is another sweeter wine that tends to have a lower ABV. What are some wines that are typically higher in alcohol? A few of the popular wines which tend to have higher alcohol levels are Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel, and Syrah/Shiraz. Again generally speaking, New Jersey’s wines tend to be significantly lower than the same variety of wine grown in sunny and warm California.

Below are a few examples of New Jersey wines and their comparative levels of alcohol.

I pulled a few NJ wines from my cellar and a few from California. Here is what I found with a few NJ wines (from left to right below):Hawk Haven 2024 Riesling (11.5% ABV); Hawk Haven 2024 Gewurtztraminer (11.9% ABV); Turdo Grillo (12.5% ABV); Turdo 2021 Cab (12.5% ABV); Cedar Rose 2016 Norton (13.2% ABV); and William Heritage 2022 Malbec (13.8%).

Compare the NJ wines and their ABV’s with the California wines below (from left to right below): Spellbound 2021 Chardonnay (13.5% ABV); Wente Morning Fog 2023 Chardonnay (13.5% ABV); Dashe 2018 Zinfandel (13.9% ABV); Pandemonium Red Blend (14.5% ABV); and 2021 Madrigal Petite Sirah (15.6% ABV). Note the Madrigal’s 15.6% ABV seems to have it leaning, a bit unsteady…

While there is clearly a lot of variability and this is a small sample size, the general trends noted above can be confirmed by perusing books like Madeline Puckette’s fine book, Wine Folly or perhaps your favorite AI go-to, though doing your own research is a lot more fun!

My New Jersey Wine of the Week

I chose Unionville Vineyard’s 2023 Pheasant Hill Chardonnay as my NJ Wine of the Week. A perennial classic here. Their Chardonnays have been a huge reason for Unionville’s success over the years. This one boasts delicious full-bodied notes of lemon and pineapple. Awesome! Incidentally, the ABV for this vintage was only 12.4%. Expect a higher ABV for the 2024 vintage from what I learned while at my recent visit to Unionville.

Coming Attractions

• Laurita Winery Fall ’25
• Cedar Rose Vineyards Fall ’25
• Amalthea Cellars Fall ’25
• Old York Cellars Fall ’25
• My 2025 NJ Wine Highlights
• My 2025 Top 12 NJ Wines

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