Wine Shop Says No to High Alcohol

Filed in archive Wine Shops on June 19, 2007

The whole issue about higher levels of alcohol content in wines has been ranging for awhile now. Some say what's the big deal. Others complain that the wines are just not balanced enough and are just too strong, like getting hit over the head rather than gently enjoyed by the taster.

I tend to agree. Every once in awhile, I enjoy a hard 15% red wine, especially something like shiraz or point noir, but on the whole, I prefer them to be a little lower.

One wine seller has gotten so fed up with the high alcohol content in some wines that he now refuses to sell them. From Wine merchant Darrell Corti no longer sells wines over 14.5% alcohol:

Darrell Corti [... has] ordered his staff to not taste wines whose stated alcohol levels are over 14.5 percent; and he will not put said wines on his shelves and sell them.

Corti recently returned from a trip to southern Italy. While he was there, the story of his low-alcohol stand broke and e-mails and faxes began pouring in to the Sacramento store. They were dutifully printed out by Corti's staff for him to read. I spoke recently with Corti about his thoughts on the subject, and why he's chosen to expunge high alcohol wines from his shelves. [...]

I just got back from southern Italy. Some of the wines I had there were 11, 12 percent, and they were absolutely delicious.

I'm not out to tilt at windmills but (British wine writer) Jancis Robinson said she likes wines for their "refreshing quality." Wines that are over 14 percent alcohol aren't particularly refreshing.

So, what do you think? Bravo for Mr. Corti? Or, get over it?