The Auswine Forum

I have a friend (no, honest) who is looking for a good low alcohol Cabernet or Shiraz. By low alcohol these days, I mean no more than 12.5%. I've had a look around, and although the occasional vintage of some wines drops to that level, I couldn't spot any wines that were consistently low. I'm guessing there could be some candidates in Tasmania.

Maybe have a look at Hunter Valley shiraz, in particular the 1990s if you can locate a few. We noted at the October Sydney tasting that most of the older Hunter wines were in that range.

You may still find a few Hunters going relatively low alcohol in modern times (even if they are 13% like the Tyrrell's Stevens or 13.5% like Vat 9/Graveyard which is typically less % than a lot of other top-rung wines these days) - otherwise maybe you can find some aged release Hunters (like Waverley Estate, which are 12.5%) or older ones may still be in some stores?

Cheers

I would be looking overseas. You should be able to get some Syrah-based wines from Rhone or the Languedoc that weigh in at only 12.5%. Cabernet I'm less sure about.

I would try Bordeaux. In most vintages the red wines hover around 12 to 12.5%, while the really good vintages can see wines go beyond.

Cheers................Mahmoud.

Mahmoud Ali wrote:I would try Bordeaux. In most vintages the red wines hover around 12 to 12.5%, while the really good vintages can see wines go beyond.

Cheers................Mahmoud.

I should have taken note, but when I was there recently, my impression was that their wines were creeping up in the alcohol content in recent years. 12.5-13.5% was what I thought most wines were.

Cheers,

Monghead.

odyssey wrote:Maybe have a look at Hunter Valley shiraz, in particular the 1990s if you can locate a few. We noted at the October Sydney tasting that most of the older Hunter wines were in that range.

You may still find a few Hunters going relatively low alcohol in modern times (even if they are 13% like the Tyrrell's Stevens or 13.5% like Vat 9/Graveyard which is typically less % than a lot of other top-rung wines these days) - otherwise maybe you can find some aged release Hunters (like Waverley Estate, which are 12.5%) or older ones may still be in some stores?

Cheers

I'm admittedly not a fan, but Lake's Folly's cabernet blend usually chimes in at around 12.5% alcohol most years.

Cheers,
Ian

Mt Mary Quintet would also be in that range.
Boyeah

MONGHEAD WROTE:
"I should have taken note, but when I was there recently, my impression was that their wines were creeping up in the alcohol content in recent years. 12.5-13.5% was what I thought most wines were."

I suspect the higher alcohol wines that you saw in Bordeaux were from top estates in the better vintages. Recently I found a couple of Bordeaux wines at a bonded warehouse. They were only Bordeaux Superior but from the excellent 2005 vintage and had 12% and 12.5% alcohol.

Cheers.............Mahmoud.

Thanks for all the suggestions. It's interesting that such a wine doesn't seem to be available in Australia. For all the chest-beating about alcohol levels being too high, no-one has managed to make a marketable Cab or Shiraz at this level.

Duncan wrote:Thanks for all the suggestions. It's interesting that such a wine doesn't seem to be available in Australia. For all the chest-beating about alcohol levels being too high, no-one has managed to make a marketable Cab or Shiraz at this level.

Somewhere someone in Australia does but ...............not at Warrabilla (disclaimer: never tried any of Smithy's wines)

Duncan wrote:Thanks for all the suggestions. It's interesting that such a wine doesn't seem to be available in Australia. For all the chest-beating about alcohol levels being too high, no-one has managed to make a marketable Cab or Shiraz at this level.

Perhaps not in commercial (ie. large) quantities. But has been pointed out, Quintet has regularly been 12.x%. The 2005 was 13%, haven't seen 2006.
And Tyrrell's 4 Acres Shiraz (2004-2007) has had some low figures - I think the 2006 was 12.4%
Or go buy a 1983 Bin 707 at auction. That was 11.3%...
cheers,
Graeme