What does Alcohol content mean?

Alcohol content is the share of the wine's volume that is alcohol, given as a percentage; most wines are between 11 and 15 per cent.

Also known as: ABV, Alcohol by volume

Alcohol content states how much of the wine's volume is ethanol, expressed as a percentage by volume (% vol or ABV). Most dry wines fall between 11 and 15 per cent, while fortified wines such as port and sherry sit at roughly 15 to 22 per cent.

Alcohol forms when yeast converts grape sugar during fermentation. The riper the grapes at harvest, the more sugar they hold and the higher the alcohol if the wine is fermented dry. Warm climates and late picking therefore tend to give higher figures, cool climates and early picking lower ones. If fermentation stops before all the sugar is used, the wine is sweeter and lower in alcohol, as in a fruity-style German Kabinett or a Moscato d'Asti.

In the glass, alcohol shows mainly as body and warmth in the mouth. It supports the structure of the wine but should be in balance with acidity, fruit and any tannin. A high figure says nothing about quality.

Alcohol content is mandatory on the label in the EU. The stated figure may differ from the measured value by no more than 0.5 percentage points, slightly more for certain wine types.