Author: lgsjr

April Fool’s: An Article Produced by Artificial Intelligence

Since AI seems to be taking over everything, we thought it would be fun to give it a chance to write an article for Power Tasting.  Here’s what we got from ChatGPT with the following prompt: “Write a 400 word essay on the pleasure of wine tasting trips from the perspective of a wine lover:” The picture was also created by the same application.  Please let us know what you think.

The Pleasure of Wine Tasting Trips: A Journey for the Senses

For a wine lover, few experiences compare to the delight of a wine tasting trip. Beyond simply drinking wine, these excursions offer an immersive journey into the artistry, culture, and terroir that shape each bottle. From the rolling vineyards of Napa Valley to the sun-drenched hills of Tuscany, wine tasting trips provide an unparalleled opportunity to deepen one’s appreciation for this ancient and complex craft.

The first pleasure of a wine tasting trip is the setting itself. Vineyards are often located in breathtakingly beautiful landscapes, where lush rows of grapevines stretch towards the horizon. Walking through these vineyards, one gains an immediate connection to the land, understanding how climate, soil, and geography influence a wine’s unique character. The experience is not just visual but deeply sensory—the scent of ripening grapes in the air, the crisp morning breeze, and the warm sun on one’s skin all heighten anticipation for the tasting ahead.

At the heart of the journey is the tasting experience. Each glass tells a story of craftsmanship, from the selection of grape varietals to the winemaking techniques that shape its aroma and flavor. Swirling a glass of wine, observing its color, and inhaling its bouquet before taking that first sip transforms drinking into an art. The interplay of flavors—fruity, earthy, spicy, or floral—unfolds on the palate, revealing layers of complexity. A knowledgeable sommelier or winemaker can elevate this experience by explaining the nuances of tannins, acidity, and aging processes, enriching one’s understanding and appreciation of the wine.

Pairing wine with local cuisine is another highlight of a tasting trip. Many wineries offer food pairings that showcase how wine interacts with different flavors, whether it’s a bold red complementing aged cheese or a crisp white enhancing the delicate taste of fresh seafood. These pairings highlight the harmony between wine and gastronomy, deepening one’s enjoyment.

Beyond the wine itself, tasting trips foster a sense of connection—both with the people behind the wines and with fellow enthusiasts. Conversations with winemakers reveal their passion and dedication, while shared tastings with other visitors create moments of camaraderie and discovery.

Ultimately, wine tasting trips offer more than just indulgence; they provide education, sensory pleasure, and cultural enrichment. For a wine lover, they are not just vacations but meaningful journeys that celebrate the art of winemaking and the joy of savoring life, one glass at a time.

Factory Wine Tasting

Generally, when we think of a winery, the image that comes to mind is a tasting room that is elegantly furnished with views of endless vistas of grapevines.  Or urban tasing rooms that are clubby and well-decorated.  There are two wineries in Santa Barbara that break that mold: Jaffurs and Carr.  These two are unmistakably operated in a factory-like setting.  They are in a light industrial section of Santa Barbara; there are no vistas at all, grapes or otherwise; and one of these is minimally furnished, if at all.

The entrance to Jaffurs Wine Cellars.

Jaffurs Wine Cellars makes Rhône-style wines in a facility that was purpose-built for winemaking by Craig Jaffurs in 2001.  It has a garage door opening, with an iron table just inside where they serve tastings.  The trend towards seated tastings by appointment only has not yet reached Jaffurs.  Visitors enter, wait for some employee to notice them and then are served a selection of Jaffurs’ rather extensive list of wines.

Just beyond the, er, tasting room, visitors will see the crush pad and beyond that fork lifts tending to the barrels of wine waiting to age and be bottled.  Unsurprisingly, Jaffurs does not get many visitors and so the vibe when people do come is real pleasure to show off their wines.  And we did find Jaffurs’ wines quite enjoyable.  Jaffurs sources all of their grapes from vineyards from the Sants Rita Hills to as far north as Santa Maria County.  Many of them have significant reputations, most notably the Bien Nacido in Santa Maria.

Jaffurs doesn’t make very much wine – only 5,000 cases annually – and so is not widely distributed.  Although the specialty of the house is Rhône grapes, which we liked, we found that we most enjoyed their Pinot Noir.  They don’t make a big deal of it, so you have to ask to try some

As for Carr Winery, we are being a bit unfair when we say that it  is a factory, although wine is made and aged there.  Their facility was originally a Quonset Hut in the same industrial area as Jaffurs, and was used to repair World War II aircraft.  There is a terrace outside but it is often used by a mah-jongg club, so we found it better to taste inside.  This is nicely furnished to look something like a trendy cocktail lounge.  There are artworks scattered about as well.  Visitors can easily forget that they are in a working winery in a factory district.

The Carr Winery tasting room.

Almost all of Carr’s wines are 100% single varietals.  There’s a little secret there: Ryan Carr, the owner and winemaker, also has a vineyard management business.  With the insight gained from that enterprise, he buys grapes – ostensibly the best ones – from his customers.  Accordingly, Carr makes wine from a wide variety of grapes, including the usual (Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah) and some that are less likely to be found elsewhere (Sangiovese, Cabernet Franc).  Winemaker Carr has a definite style; there is a clear consistency in all his wines, regardless of the grapes used.

So if anyone would ever get tired of beautiful scenery and surroundings, we recommend a trip to the East Side of Santa Barbara, where Jaffurs and Carr will show you wines with an industrial ambiance but countryside quality.

Getting Around in Napa Valley

In our first forays into wine tasting, way back when, finding our way was simple if not easy.  We would fly to San Francisco, rent a car and drive up to the Route 29 exit from I-80.  Then it was a good 45 minutes until we reached the winemaking area of Napa Valley, which was the only part of Wine Country in the United States we’d ever heard of.  We would continue up Route 29 until we saw a sign indicating a winery.  We would go in, have a sip, take a glass and proceed to the next one.  There weren’t that many wineries then, so it was easy to just keep going north until it was time to go to our hotel.

As more wineries opened and as we spread out to other American winemaking areas, we learned that the best plan was to stop at the first winery we encountered, regardless of our interest in that one, and pick up a tourist magazine.  There would be (and still are) lots of ads for wine and wineries to visit, plus restaurants and hotels.  That was all helpful in its way, but most important was the centerfold that contained a map showing where all the wineries were.  At first, we’d pick a few wineries we wanted to visit and would drive from one to the other, without regard to the amount of time we’d be behind the wheel instead of in front of the bar.

There were a few problems with that approach.  Wineries that paid for big advertisements in the magazine were highlighted on the map and smaller ones that couldn’t afford to advertise were omitted.  If we knew of one of those and wanted to taste their wines, we’d have to call and get driving instructions, which we had to write down on whatever scrap of paper we had.  That approach might have worked, but cell phones were new and coverage was spotty in rural areas.

Then came MapQuest.  Before our trip, we would use that app to plot out the routes from one winery to another.  This process was a bit difficult, because if we didn’t know where the wineries were, we would have to figure out in which order to plan the drive, which often necessitated repeated searches.  And all these maps and instructions had to be printed out and taken with us.  We well remember thick manilla folders of maps that the navigator had to fumble through once we arrived.

When GPS applications such as Google Maps replaced MapQuest as our go-to app, it solved a lot of problems, but it created a few others.  Sometimes it simply got the instructions wrong.  We well remember driving miles too far because Google sent us way off the route.  Also, in some cases we remember from a trip to France, if there was a route that was two meters shorter than another, the GPS systems would take us along tiny paths, through farms and vineyards rather than on the main road that would have gotten us where we were going far faster.

Isn’t technology wonderful?  We still think it’s fun to just wander a bit and find whatever we happen to find.  Still, getting the tourist magazine still helps. This way we can figure out the location of all the wineries at one glance.

Artificial Intelligence for Wine Tasting

Artificial Intelligence seems to be on everyone’s lips these days, right where some nice wine ought to be.  So we asked ourselves how AI could be used to enhance the wine tasting experience.  We thought it might help in doing the pre-visit research into the wineries to visit, and so asked three popular AI platforms a test question, “What are the five best wine tasting experiences in Napa Valley?”

Picture courtesy of The Economic Times.

Here are the results:

Microsoft CoPilot

Napa Valley is a wine lover’s paradise, and here are five exceptional wine-tasting experiences to consider:

  1. Andretti Winery

This winery combines award-winning wines with a touch of racing history, all set in a beautiful 42-acre estate.

  1. Napa Valley Wine Country Tours

Offering private and group tours, this service provides a luxurious way to explore Napa’s finest wineries.

  1. Monticello Vineyards

Known for its limited production estate wines, this family-run winery has a rich history and a reputation for excellence.

  1. Vermeil Wines

Specializing in bold Calistoga red wines, this spot is perfect for those who love robust flavors.

  1. Castello di Amorosa

A medieval-style castle winery offering a unique and immersive tasting experience.

Each of these places offers something special, whether it’s the ambiance, the history, or the wine itself.

OpenAI ChatGPT

Napa Valley offers a multitude of exceptional wine tasting experiences that cater to a variety of preferences. Here are five standout options to consider:

  1. Opus One Winery

Renowned for its exclusive experiences and fine wines, Opus One offers intimate tours that delve into its winemaking philosophy and architecture. 

  • Robert Mondavi Winery

Celebrated for its Fumé Blanc, this winery also boasts an impressive art collection and hosts summer concerts, blending culture with winemaking. 

  • Inglenook

Owned by Francis Ford Coppola, Inglenook is praised for its wines and ambiance, offering a rich historical experience alongside tastings. 

  • Raymond Vineyards

Known for its innovative and sensory tasting experiences, including the Crystal Cellar and the Red Room, providing a unique blend of wine and art. 

  • Napa Valley Wine Train

A unique excursion that combines gourmet dining with wine tasting aboard a vintage train as it traverses the picturesque Napa Valley. 

Each of these venues offers a distinct perspective on Napa Valley’s rich winemaking heritage, ensuring a memorable visit for both novices and connoisseurs alike. [Note: Most of these choices seem to have come from the London Times.]

Anthropic Claude

Based on my knowledge, here are five exceptional wine tasting experiences in Napa Valley:

  1. Schramsberg Vineyards

Known for their exceptional sparkling wines and historic cave tours. Their guided cave tour takes you through hand-carved caves dating back to the 1800s while tasting their premium sparkling wines.

  1. Castello di Amorosa

A meticulously recreated 13th-century Tuscan castle with medieval architecture, defensive towers, and a torture chamber. The unique setting pairs with their Italian-style wines for an immersive experience.

  1. Chateau Montelena

Made famous by the “Judgment of Paris” in 1976 when their Chardonnay beat French wines in a blind tasting. Their stone chateau and Japanese gardens offer a beautiful setting for tasting their world-class wines.

  1. Robert Mondavi Winery

A pioneer in Napa Valley winemaking offering educational tours and tastings that showcase the region’s winemaking history alongside their acclaimed wines, particularly their Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon.

  1. Domaine Carneros

 A stunning French-inspired château specializing in sparkling wines and Pinot Noir. Their terrace tastings overlook expansive vineyard views of the Carneros region.

These wineries combine exceptional wines with unique settings, educational experiences, and Napa’s picturesque landscapes.

It’s notable that none of the three lists is the same.  We are familiar with all the wineries mentioned and agree with some choices, but not all.  But a wine tasting trip to Napa Valley that included all of them would be very representative of the best experiences to be had in that section of Wine Country.

San Jose, California

If someone were to ask “Which is the largest city in Northern California’s Wine Country?”, we wager that most people would say San Francisco.  It is large, with slightly more than 800,000 people.  Sacramento is pretty big, too, with around 525,000 residents.  But the biggest is San Jose, which is nearing 1 million in population. 

San Jose has long been in San Francisco’s shadow, but the advent of the technology industry in the area has begun to give the city its own personality.  Maybe that personality is not as flamboyant or historical and San Fran’s, but if you are tasting in the vicinity, it’s worth a stop.  The most notable nearby winemaking regions are in the Santa Crus Mountains, with 80 wineries, and the Santa Clara Valley, with 60. 

If you’re a sports fan, you probably have heard of the San Jose Sharks in the National Hockey League (there isn’t an NHL team in San Francisco) and the 49ers have SF on their helmets, although their Santa Clara Stadium is closer to San Jose.  These teams mean that San Jose can legitimately call itself a major league city.

San Jose has a museum called The Tech Interactive.  Now, many cities have science and technology museums, but this one is in the heart of Silicon Valley, so it takes on added relevance.  There are more than 100 exhibits, many of which are powered by artificial intelligence (of course).  But it’s not all gee-whiz technology.  Some deal with space exploration and the biology of the human body.

The California Theater.  Photo courtesy of Evergreene Architectural Arts.

As with any large city, San Jose has parks, gardens and art museums, but frankly they aren’t worth a special visit.  These probably exist in your city back home, although it is nice that the San Joseans have cultural activities of their own.  They have a symphony orchestra and an opera company, too, both of which perform at a renovated movie palace now called the California Theater.  Its architecture resonates with echoes of past cinema glories.

Santana Row.  Photo courtesy of Federal Realty Investment Trust.

We have most enjoyed the district known as Santana Row.  It is San Jose’s center, with shops, restaurants, offices and pedestrian walkways.  In some ways, Santana Row is much like the “downtowns” of planned communities around the country. In many ways the explosive growth of San Jose created a need for a place where residential, business and leisure would combine.  And since there is a great deal of money for those working in tech, an invented civic center can be quite enjoyable.  We find Santana Row to be the best reason to pay San Jose a visit.  Unless you’re a hockey fan, that is.

Dealing with the Weather in Wine Country

Not surprisingly, climate is one of the major factors in terroir, the totality of the environment in which wine grapes are grown.  A vineyard may have the best soil, the perfect exposure to the sun and excellent drainage, but if the growing season is too hot, too cold, too dry or too rainy, the resulting wines will suffer.  In our travels, we have wilted with the heat and humidity, shuddered in cold fog, frozen in ice storms and, of course, luxuriated in balmy sunshine.  Sometimes all in the same day!

One of the beauties of wine tasting trips is that Wine Country, with a little judicious planning, you can be sure to have great weather.  Some years ago, Power Tasting published a series on wine tasting in Napa/Noma, one month at a time.  And indeed, there are reasons to visit there all year long.  The same may be said of most of the better winemaking regions of the world, including Burgundy, Bordeaux and even Long Island’s North Fork. 

Napa Valley in February.  Photo courtesy of the San Francisco Chronicle.

Many times we have travelled to California in December and found ourselves in temperate days and cool nights, basically sweater weather.  But there was one December when it was colder in Napa Valley than it was in New York.  The parking lot at our hotel was a sheet of ice.  We were used to doffing our heavy coats in Wine Country, but not that time.

Wine grapes grow especially well if they are in an area with overnight and morning fogs that burn off and are replaced by sunny, hot afternoons.  In many parts of northern California, the shift from fog to sun is not gradual; it takes about fifteen minutes to go from grey to blue, usually around 10:30 in the morning.  So if we set off earlier than that, we bundle up with long sleeves and coats, only to find ourselves overdressed by the time we reach our second winery.

It’s not just California where the weather can be so changeable.  The south of France is famed for the mistral, the chilly wind that blows across the Mediterranean from Africa during the winter and early spring.  No one told us that it can sometimes occur as early as September.  So when we went there to experience the harvest, we were totally unprepared.  The weather did hasten the vendange though.

There is the other extreme as well.  There have been many trips when we have sweltered.  There have been occasions that we retreated from the vineyards to dive into the pool at our hotel.  The managers of European wineries are more sensible than us Americans.  They close for lunch from around 1:00 until 3:00, then stay open until 6:00 or so.  They go to lunch, so we visitors have to as well.  Very civilized.

So before heading to Wine Country for a wine tasting trip, we try to remember to consult the weatherman.  And then, if we expect heat, we also pack a sweater.  And there are short-sleeve shirts in our luggage in winter. A packable light down jacket is often a great idea in any season.  There’s just no telling.

Hot Wine Tasting

There are multiple meanings to “hot wine”.  Around Christmas time, it is popular in some circles (not ours) to drink mulled wine, spiced and heated.  The trendy wine that everyone seems to be drinking these days may be called a “hot” wine.  (Non-alcoholic, so-called wines are “hot” these days.  Yecch!)  And wines with a lot of alcohol, that sting your mouth, are also called hot wines. 

In Power Tasting’s last issue, we gave tips on dealing with the alcohol.  In this issue, we want to focus on what’s in the glass rather than who’s behind the wheel. If you are fond of wine tasting trips, as we are, you are more likely these days to encounter wines that pucker your mouth, more so these days than ever before.  So, here are a few things to think about if you’re not a fan of hot wine.

Some grapes just don’t make it.  Photo courtesy of One Green Planet.

  • Winemakers are driving up the levels in many areas.  Bordeaux, for example, almost uniformly made wines that were 12.5% alcohol by volume (ABV).  Today, they are in the 14% to 15% level, matching northern California.  One factor was the taste preferences of one man, Robert Parker.  He liked (and presumably still likes) big, bold wines.  Many growers in both Bordeaux and Napa Valley sought his approval and his magazine’s ratings and so pushed both ripeness and alcohol upward. 
  • And climate change is another big factor.  It’s no secret that the world is getting hotter.  Winemakers we have spoken with tell of changing to more resistant grapes or moving their vineyards to higher altitudes to keep a better balance of ripeness and alcohol.  It may prove worthwhile, especially at better wineries, to taste the current releases and also try some library wines if available, just to see how the winemakers have dealt with increasing warmth.  Even if a tasting room won’t offer these older wines for sampling, they will tell you the amount of alcohol in some of the older bottles.
  • Consider the flavor, not the alcohol level.  There is a rough equation that says more time on the vine means more sugar means more alcohol.  But more time on the vine also leads to greater ripeness of the grapes and thus more flavor.  In areas with naturally high temperatures, such as Paso Robles, alcohol levels can be extreme, sometimes tasting overripe.  At the other extreme, in northern climes such as in Alsace, low-alcohol wines may taste drab and a little flabby.  Vineyard managers and winemakers attempt to find the perfect time to harvest, with maximum savor and manageable alcohol.  As you taste, you are in effect serving as the jury as to how well they did. 
  • Alcohol levels haven’t increased everywhere.  Champagne makers still keep their wines in the range of 12% to 12.5%, as do those who make Prosecco.  Rieslings tend to be under 13%.  And many sweet wines have less than 10% alcohol.  (Careful with these latter wines, though.  Many dessert wines, such as Port or Tokay are fortified with additional alcohol.)

Châteauneuf-du-Pape

Of course, there’s a wonderful Rhone wine called Châteauneuf-du-Pape.  It comes from the vineyards around a Provencal village called, well, Châteauneuf-du-Pape.  In French, it means “the Pope’s new castle”.  The town was there before the Popes arrived in the 14th century, due to the Babylonian Captivity that split the Catholic Church over matters of…oh, you probably don’t care.  It seems that the 14th century Popes didn’t actually live there (they were in nearby Avignon) but one of those Popes built a castle and town has been named for it ever since.  The castle survived for many centuries until more than half of it was destroyed by the German army at the end of World War II.  The remains dominate the village to this day.

The castle ruins atop the village of Châteauneuf-du-Pape.  Photo courtesy of Wikipedia.

The village of Châteauneuf-du-Pape is located on a hill, with winding streets that lead up to and around the castle ruins.  If you visit Châteauneuf-du-Pape your objective will likely be to go wine tasting; there is no denying the appeal of these fine wines.  But the renowned vineyards and tasting rooms are located in the flatlands around the village, not on the hill itself.  We don’t want to drag you away from wine tasting – never! – but we do recommend that you save a little time to visit the village itself.

You can and should walk up to the top of the hill to see what’s left of the castle.  If you’ve seen Greek or Roman ruins, you know that there is a melancholy poetry to what is left of destroyed ancient buildings, and so it is in Châteauneuf-du-Pape.  Moreover, you have the views from there of some of France’s greatest vineyards, stretching out to the horizon.

There are other attractions, such as an old church, a pretty fountain, tasting rooms, wine stores and even a wine museum.  Still, Châteauneuf-du-Pape is just a small French village, with less than 3,000 residents.  But it is a village with money, derived from the wine trade.  So it is a spic and span village, ready to welcome visitors.  It looks very much like the French village you dreamed of, which so few actually are.

Photo courtesy of Booking.com.

If you come to Châteauneuf-du-Pape for wine tasting, complete the experience with a stellar meal.  There is no shortage there of restaurants, cafes, bistros and watering holes.  After a few hours of tasting wine, or maybe the next day, you’ll be ready to settle down with some Provencal cooking and a bottle of, well, Châteauneuf-du-Pape. 

In good weather, you can dine outdoors with those vineyard views and, on a clear day, of the Rhône river just beyond.  Buttery croissants in the morning; pâté and cheese for lunch; local leg of lamb roasted or venison stew for dinner.  Yum!  Of course, this being in the heart of French Wine Country, there is haute cuisine to be had as well.  Châteauneuf-du-Pape is a small village, but it boasts eleven restaurants listed on Michelin’s website.  Almost by definition, all these restaurants have fine cellars to match their cooking.  What more could you ask for a southern French experience?

Melville Winery

You can visit wineries in Bordeaux that are still owned by original families, but the Rothschilds of today, for example, are the descendants of the founders.  Even in Napa Valley, Robert Mondavi, Warren Winiarski and their like are no longer with us.  But one of the things that makes wine tasting in Santa Barbara County, the Santa Rita Hills in particular, is that the founding fathers (and mothers) are still making wine in their namesake wineries.

One such is the Melville Winery, owned and operated by Chad Melville.  The winery even offers a private tour and tasting with Mr. Melville himself.  You won’t get that at Château Latour!

Located in the Santa Rita Hills not too far from Buellton (although the address is in Lompoc), Melville’s tasting room is located in and beside a handsome, mission-style yellow building.  A tasting at Melville has the vibe of a garden party far more than that of most wineries.  Oh, they do have an indoor room that’s cozy in a rustic sort of way, but the real Melville experience is to have your tasting on their wide, capacious lawn.  [Melville also has a tasting room in Santa Barbara, which is a totally different experience.]  Although we were told that they occasionally receive tour groups and they say they can accommodate 150 people, it’s difficult to imagine it ever getting rowdy at this winery.

Rather, visitors either recline in Adirondack chairs or gather around widely spaced tables under white umbrellas.  They sip their wine viewing the vineyard and the mountains beyond.  So very civilized, especially considering the completely opposite experience in some tasting rooms, not least in nearby Santa Barbara’s Funk Zone.  Guests can even bring picnics. 

We were a bit surprised by the wines they serve at Melville.  Santa Rita Hills is rightly famed for Pinot Noir, which they do serve.  But we also tasted Chardonnay, Grenache and Syrah.  There’s nothing wrong with those grapes, but they weren’t what we expected.  We think this may say a lot about changing climate, even in such a contained space as the Santa Rita Hills, or maybe a broader audience for the wines made there, some of whom may not be Pinot Noir fans.  That said, of the wines we tasted, the Pinot Noirs were our favorites.

For a long time, it has been possible to taste quality wine in California far afield from Napa Valley and Sonoma County.  It seems to use that Santa Barbara County, and the Santa Rita Hills in particular, are coming (or have come) into their own.  There are wines we have tasted there, especially Pinot Noirs, that are the equal or better than any we’ve had in that state.  Now, we think the winemakers in the Côte d’Or can sleep well at night, but overall we find the Pinot Noirs made in the Santa Rita Hills to be more Burgundian than we have tasted elsewhere in the US.

Melville is an exemplar of the region’s arrival.  Power Tasting doesn’t review wine; our specialty is the wine tasting experience.  We can say that a visit to the Melville Winery is a lovely way to while away an afternoon with some well-regarded wines.

How Much Alcohol?

We have noticed, in recent years, that the amount of alcohol in the wine we’re tasting (and drinking at home) is increasing.  Now there could be a few reasons for that.  Maybe our tastes have just turned towards more alcoholic and therefore more flavorful wines.  That’s possible, but we don’t remember a shift in the wines we buy, so it’s unlikely.  Perhaps the winemakers for our favorite labels have all decided to make more alcoholic products.  It’s even unlikelier that all of them would do that at the same time.  A more reasonable answer would be that accelerating climate change has made grapes ripen faster, making more sugar in the process.  More sugar turns into more alcohol, so there’s a probable solution.

California always produced a lot of high-impact wines; 14.5% is not unusual.  But wines north of 15% are more common, and those from areas such as Paso Robles venture into the 16% to 17% range.  Even Bordeaux wines that weighed in at 12.5% for decades are now creeping up into the 14% level.

This situation does create a problem for people going wine tasting.  If each bottle contains a higher percentage of alcohol and tasters consume the same amount as they did in the past, they’re taking on more of an intoxicant.  Here are some tips for dealing with the increased alcohol when visiting wineries.

  • Ask to see the label of the bottle being served.  This is a good idea anyway, since there’s a lot of information on a label.  One such bit of data is the alcohol level.  Don’t rely on the server to tell you; they usually don’t know.  One problem is that the amount of alcohol is often printed in a teeny-weeny font, and it can be anywhere on the bottle, front or back.  It’s hard to be unobtrusive when looking forward to it.
  • Calibrate intake based on the amount of alcohol.  For a particularly big boomer (we’re looking at you, David Coffaro) maybe have two sips of each wine instead of three.  Or if you’re there for, say, the Cabernet Sauvignon it might make sense to skip the Pinot Noir that the winery is not particularly known for.
  • Choose wineries to visit with the amount of alcohol in mind.  If the plan is to visit a few places that specialize in Zinfandel, for example, it’s clear that there will be big alcohol involved.  That grape is so sweet anyway that wines made from it are usually quite potent.  So maybe another winery ought to be one that specializes in sparkling wines, which generally are lower in alcohol, in the 12% range or even lower. 
  • No, white wines are not lighter than reds.  Plenty of Chardonnays pack a punch.  There’s a Chardonnay from Lewis Cellars, for example, that weighs in at 14.7%.  So white wine lovers have to be just as careful as those who prefer a meaty Merlot.