Maybe it's correct. A legit winemaker/winery will be very close to the labeled percentage. Those that care more about market perception than honesty may take a different route.
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| This Zinfandel is labeled at 15.2% alcohol by volume, but is it? |
You would think it's unlikely anyone is doing anything illegal, but spot checks show plenty of non-compliant wines. Federal laws already allow too much leeway, and you don't hear about any enforcement. Many countries, including the EU, give much less latitude.
U.S. rules from the Treasury Department's Tax and Trade Bureau:
- Wines up to 14% alcohol have a plus-or-minus 1.5% sway. For example, a wine labeled as 12% could be anywhere between 10.5 and 13.5%. The wine can't actually contain over 14% alcohol as that's where higher taxes kick in; remember this is the Treasury Dept.
- For wines over 14% it's plus-or-minus 1%. A wine labeled as 15% could be 14 to 16%.
The actual percentage of alcohol in a wine changes the calories a bit, changes how soon you might feel the buzz, plus changes the taste and characteristics of the wine. Allowing a two or three percentage swing is huge in a wine's traits.
When I buy wines, I look at the alcohol level to help me guess at the wine's characteristics and even aging potential. I had an under 15% rule for most red wines, then I started noticing how many were labeled 14.8% or 14.9%. Is the wine being processed to keep it under 15% (yes, you can do that) or are 15.x% wines labeled 14.x because it sounds better? I don't know.
A plus-or-minus 0.5% rule as the EU does, and enforcing financial penalties for those out of compliance, isn't too much to ask. Also, this is supposed to be listed legibly on the label, but some aren't. We deserve the truth on anything we consume.
This post based on this article from FoodAndWine.com
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