Alcohol Burns Me Up

The Wine Curmudgeon was recently griping to a fellow wine writer about the ever-elevating levels of alcohol in wine these days. His hardly original complaints went something like this: “The over-abundance of alcohol smothers the true fruity nature of the grape variety.” And this: “The high-alcohol wines simply have no rightful place at the dinner table as they overshadow all but the most powerful of food items.”

But after some reflection, the Wine Curmudgeon softened. He reasoned that somebody must be enjoying and buying these wines otherwise the good folks down at your friendly winery would not be making them. When all those high-alcohol objectors decry the influence of wine critics like Robert Parker—who’s renowned for praising wines that are hot and heavy with alcohol—why should anyone make a wine with more moderate alcohol content for the ol’ Curmudgeon?

After this self-evaluation, the Wine Curmudgeon found himself in front of his wall of wine only to notice his red zinfandels overflowing their allotted space. He has been neglecting this category because of his issues with elevated alcohol levels. Many zins suffer from “over-alcoholization,” but that’s a big blanket to throw an entire category of wine. So he weeded through all the bottles with 15 and 16 percent alcohol (and one whopper at 16.8 percent!) and there at the bottom of the bin, waiting like an old friend, was a bottle of Dry Creek Vineyard, Old Vine, Zin.

It still tasted like zinfandel with flavors of dry cherries and raspberries and quiet mint quality, but it only contained 14.5 percent alcohol. It didn’t interfere with the pork loin and mashed potatoes it was served with and the Wine Curmudgeon and Mrs. Curmudgeon did not feel the need to chase their wine with a glass of beer to stop the alcoholic burn in their mouths.

So let those bruisers and ruffians out there enjoy alcoholic elixirs they call wine. With friends like Dry Creek, Calistoga Cellars and St. Francis around, us more temperate types will always have something to enjoy with our dinners.

2005 Dry Creek Vineyard, Old Vine, Zinfandel,
Dry Creek Valley, Calif.

• $28

• Two Thumbs Up

• Aromas of violets and red fruit were followed by flavors of dry cherry, fresh-picked raspberries, coffee and a touch of mintiness at the end. A big, powerful wine, but not out of touch with its wine-like nature.