Alcohol Content

Got a hangover from sipping only a little wine last night? Could be the vino had more alcohol than stated on the label. In most countries, winemakers are allowed to round alcohol levels up or down by at least half a percent. Researchers at the University of California found that, by sampling almost 100,000 international wines, 60% possessed an average of 0.42% higher alcohol than stated on the label. Doesn’t sound extensive, but even small discrepancies like a half percent could lead consumers to underestimate amount consumed, possibly affecting their health and driving safety. Apparently, Chilean and Spanish reds, as well as Chilean and American whites showed the most variance in alcohol than what was stated.