The alcohol levels in wine have been rising over the past 30 years — and wine experts say the sugar content in grapes is to blame.
Though a winemaker can manipulate sugar levels in the vineyard and alcohol levels in the cellar, a hotter climate is driving increased sugar content in grapes. California’s wine grapes have had a “substantial rise” in sugar levels since 1980. A study by the American Association of Wine Economists (AAWE) hypothesizes global warming is contributing.
Read more (Decanter)