Guess wot? It's Sunday again.....

[Gary W]

[

Sounds suprisingly fine for a wine weighing in at 15.8% (from memory)
GW

Gary,

It was a good wine. I don't look at the label alcohol percentage, preferring to taste and assess what is in the glass. The alcohol percentage is meaningless; the only thing that is important is balance, and if it is high alcohol, that there is no heat and the alcohol doesn't stick out.

I did not say it was not a good wine I got that from your note....
I'll probably have a taste of it in the next week or so I think...that being said I usually like to lick the label first just to make sure I really like the wine.

Alcohol percentage is not meaningless if you are driving or want to drink 1/2 a bottle over dinner etc. If it says 17% on the bottle you would want to know first.
GW

[griff]

Don't always have nice wines so I thought I will post these:

Drappier Grande Sendree 2000 champagne
Very good value vintage champers with good fruit weight and autolysis character. A hint of Madeira character makes me think that another bottle could be even better. Not nervy enough to put this in the higher classes. Good

Tyrell's HVD Semillon 1995
Full mid-yellow colour. Lemon butter on toast on the nose. No toast on the palate. Was a rich preserved lemon with rich mouthfeel. Again, the last bottle we had of this was slightly more acidic and hence balanced. Very good.

Coudoulet de Beaucastel 2001
Deep blood red. Opened very closed and decanted for 8 hours. Dark fruit on the nose with wet earth/moss in a good way. Palate was still closed and finished slightly short. This has a few years to go yet I suspect. Good and my partner's WOTN.

Warre's Quinta da Cavadinha Vintage Port 1987
Shone a torch through this bottle and only up to mid-shoulder so no high hopes for this one (was a 375mL bottle to boot). Poured a brisk-red with brown rim with very fine sediment left but did that magic act that happens with ports and the colour deepened and the brown reduced in the decanter over 8 hours. Red licorice on the nose with crystallized violets and christmas spice. Lovely ripe palate of typical touriga balance of sweet and savoury notes and not too sweet in the Warre's slightly leaner house style. They say that this vintage could of been declared if they hadn't declared so many in the 80's and I would at least say this is a very good single quinta. Excellent and only 1 left

cheers

Carl

[TORB]

Alcohol percentage is not meaningless if you are driving or want to drink 1/2 a bottle over dinner etc. If it says 17% on the bottle you would want to know first.

Hi Gary,

I don't dispute the importance of being careful when drinking and having to drive but believe if you think you know your exact BAL at any time, even knowing what you are drinking is folly.

There are many factors involved. Its not just the % of alcohol in the wine , other factors include:-

* their base weight
* their tolerance to alcohol
* their build
* their metabolism
* their state of mind
* their fitness level
* their health on the day
* the rate/speed they drink
* what they eat (or don't eat) whilst drinking.

If a person is 0.49 they pass; if they are .051 they fail and lose their license. No one can accurately judge all those combinations themselves that closely, even if they know the alcohol percentage. If they are truly concerned about possible loss of license, they need to keep well under (in case they have misjudged) or make alternative transport arrangements.

[Gary W]

Thanks for the lecture dad...
Regardless it is still going to be much safer drinking a half bottle of 12.5% wine than half a 17% wine...and I am not talking specifically about driving. There are a whole raft of issues....

Regardless I know 1/2 bottle of Hunter Semillon over a meal is absolutely fine for me.. I can categorically say that in fact...can't say the same for 17%. Taxi!

GW

[Red Bigot]

Drappier Grande Sendree 2000 champagne
Very good value vintage champers with good fruit weight and autolysis character. A hint of Madeira character makes me think that another bottle could be even better. Not nervy enough to put this in the higher classes. Good

I got some of the 99 and then 2000 when the grocer that imports them was being generous and selling them for $54-$55. Pretty fine drinking at that price.