My High Alcohol Epiphany - Elegance above 14%

Apologies, dear readers, I've been rather absent for the last six weeks (moving countries, if you must know). Here's my latest column from Palate Press - lots of exciting content coming here in the next couple of weeks.

Hangups? I’ve got plenty, but don’t worry – I’m not about to start using this column as therapy. But when I pick up a bottle of wine and the alcohol content is listed as more than 14%, a whole host of prejudices kick in. Is this going to be an unbalanced fruit-bomb or a fiery slap in the face? And will it leave me reeling after only a couple of glasses?

Of course I’d never admit to leaving wines on the shelf purely because of high alcohol content. But it does have unwelcome associations – hot climate, long “hang time”, power rather than elegance, heft rather than balance. But is it justifiable to assume that 14%+ must mean a rambunctious or even vulgar wine?

Continue reading at Palate Press