Why Adjust Alcohol

The Memstar alcohol adjustment process targets the large and growing problem of high alcohol levels in many modern wines. These high alcohols:

• • increase the intoxicating effect of the wine
• • lead to a reduced perception of wine aroma
• • are unpleasantly hot on the palate
• • are penalised in some export markets with extra taxes
• • and in others with outright prohibition from sale

Results of many wine samples analysed by the Australian Wine Research Institute over the past 20 years have shown a steady increase in the mean alcohol level from 12.4% in 1984 to 14.2% in 2002.

This trend stems from winemakers' attempts to avoid unpleasant green fruit characters by leaving their grapes to hang longer as they strive for more mature flavours and tannins and softer acidity.The resultant higher sugar and hence high alcohol levels have been an unwelcome but necessary consequence of this pursuit of greater ripeness.

Until the development of Memstar AA, winemakers had few acceptable options for dealing with this dilemma.