Red wines usually have a higher alcohol content than whites or rosés. In warmer regions it's normal for the alcohol content to be higher because the grapes have a higher sugar level. This is the case with wines from the Alentejo, which in recent years have reached alcohol levels of between 15 and 15.5 per cent, although traditionally they have always been wines with at least one more degree than wines from the other regions of Portugal.
As well as the climate, the fact that the grapes are harvested much later in the season also contributes to a wine's high alcohol content, allowing time for the fruit to become sweeter on the vine.
It's up to the producer to decide the right time to harvest and how to vinify the wine, if they want a wine of a certain alcohol level.
The alcohol content can affect the flavor of a wine in various ways, and as a rule a wine with a higher alcohol content has a more aromatic and complex flavor when compared to a wine with a lower alcohol content.
Experts say that a perfect red wine should be between 13 and 13.5 per cent, but with climate change, it is difficult to guarantee this range, even in regions with a more temperate climate or with an Atlantic influence.
Younger consumers, on the other hand, prefer low-alcohol wines, hence the increase in the consumption of white wines to the detriment of reds and the success of so-called low-alcohol wines, or even the new trend of alcohol-free wines, in which it is possible to practically remove the alcohol from finished wine through a chemical process.
Nevertheless, there is a big market for high-alcohol wines, which in some cases can reach levels of 17% or 18%, almost as high as fortified wines such as Ports and Madeira, which, by adding grape spirit to stop fermentation, are then stabilized at alcohol levels of between 19% and 21%.
While the market mostly consumes red wines in the 13-15 per cent range, it's also true that whether out of curiosity or even a taste for more powerful wines, there are many wine enthusiasts who seek out super-potent wines with a high alcohol content.
If you're curious or if you like powerful wines, then take a look at our selection of high-alcohol wines and explore red wines outside the norm here.
