Learn
Alcohol
What the percentage on the label tells you about how the wine will taste.
The short answer
Alcohol comes from the sugar in the grapes, so a riper harvest means a stronger wine. It contributes weight and carries aroma, and at higher levels it is felt as warmth at the back of the throat.
Overview
The ABV figure tells you more than how strong the wine is. It is a reasonably reliable proxy for body and for how ripe the grapes were.
Under 11% usually means a cool climate, high acidity, and a light wine — German Riesling, Vinho Verde, Muscadet.
Around 12.5–13.5% is the commonest band and covers most table wine.
Above 14.5% usually means a warm climate and very ripe fruit, and the wine will feel fuller and warmer. You may notice heat at the back of the throat.
Alcohol also carries aroma and contributes a sensation of sweetness, which is why removing it from wine is technically difficult.
WineHQ has no view on how much you should drink, and does not publish health claims for alcohol. If you want guidance on that, your national health service is the right source.
Where you can see it
- Around 11%
- German Kabinett Riesling. Light, and the low alcohol is part of why it can carry sweetness without feeling heavy.
- Around 15%
- Amarone, made from grapes dried before fermenting. The concentration is the point of the style.
What people get wrong
1 widely repeated claim this page corrects.
Go shallower or deeper
The beginner page and the chemistry page are both correct, and neither substitutes for the other.
Sources
Sources consulted
- WSET educational materials and the Systematic Approach to Tasting — Wine & Spirit Education Trust
- UK Chief Medical Officers’ low risk drinking guidelines — UK Department of Health and Social Care