19
May
‘You cannot buy happiness, but you can buy wine and that is kind of the same thing.’
In some way, this quote is true. Wine is the source of pleasure and relaxation for many, especially for true wine lovers for whom not a single dinner goes without a glass or two. But the dilemma whether drinking wine on a daily basis is healthy or not and which wine to drink, has been making wine lovers feel uncertain about their wine selection. This is mainly because of alcohol level.
The truth is, both red and white wines feature different alcohol levels, which in fact represents wine’s alcoholic strength. And the alcoholic strength of the wine is labeled as ‘abv’, referring to ‘alcohol by volume’. Every bottle of wine has the ‘abv’ indication on the label, although in many cases, it is written with a small-sized font or it is placed obscurely on the label, thus making it pretty challenging to find.
For those concerned with the alcohol level, take a look at few low-alcohol wines.
2006 Margan Semillon – coming from Hunter Valley, Australia, this Semillon wine contains 11.4% abv. Refreshing and elegant, ‘Margan Semillon wine’ is more than an option.
2007 Keith Tulloch Semillon – one more gem in the Semillon family, featuring 11% abv. ‘Keith Tulloch Semillon’ is made from old-vine grapes and the lemon and citrus fresh aromas make this Semillon wine delicate and super-elegant.
2008 Domaine du Salvard Cheverny – France is known as one of world’s greatest wine regions and the producer of superior-quality wines. Let’s take the rich and silky ‘Domaine du Salvard Cheverny’ for eaxmple. As a natural blend of 20% Chardonnay and 80% Sauvignon Blanc, this amazing wine contains 12% abv, being one of the low-alcohol-wine options you can feel free to consume on a daily basis.
What’s important to know is that the alcohol level of a wine depends on the level of sugar it contains. Normally, this is the sugar that has accumulated in grapes during the harvest. The simple rule says: ‘The higher the sugar-degree, the higher the alcohol potential’. We all know that high-sugar wines are the tastiest ones, but drinking them regularly in the long run may lead to certain health issues.
Hence, what you should do is to turn to lower alcohol wines. It is said that wines that are naturally lower in alcohol, are commonly made from wine grapes grown in cooler and moderate climates. Remember that knowing the alcoholic strength of the wine you drink is of the utmost importance, since it certainly makes a difference in terms of alcohol intake, between drinking a couple of glasses of wine at 14% abv and the same number of glasses of wine at 10% abv. While you think that percent or two does not really make a difference, your body does not think the same.
