Paul Gregutt
Wine adviser
Q. I’m seeing Zinfandels now that are reaching 16 percent alcohol levels, and are still dry wines, not sweet or fortified dessert wines. What’s up with that? I used to love Zins; now one glass and I’m on the floor.
A. I remember sipping a 1970-something Ridge Lytton Springs Zinfandel a few years back with winemaker Paul Draper. The wine was already into its fourth decade and drinking well. The alcohol was 12.5 percent. These days, Zins over 15 percent, 16 percent even 17 percent are not hard to find. I had one recently that claimed to be 17.9 percent alcohol — and it was not fortified.
A number of factors go into creating these steroidal Franken-wines. Among them: designer yeasts that can ferment at high alcohol levels without keeling over (if only it were that easy for you and me); later (much later) harvesting of the grapes; global warming; mechanical concentrators; and much more aggressive thinning and dropping of green fruit prior to harvest. Zinfandel seems to reflect these trends more than any other grape.
The argument that such monster wines are balanced ignores the fact that balance can be very short-lived. A bear on a unicycle on a high wire may be balanced, but he won’t be up there for long! If you want Zins that are still relatively moderate (hence drinkable), look to Mendocino County producers. Example: the 2005 Bonterra Vineyards Mendocino Zinfandel ($13) is 14.5 percent alcohol, flavorful and satisfying, yet it won’t burn a hole in your palate. And bonus — it’s made with organically grown grapes.

Paul Gregutt, author of “Washington Wines and Wineries: The Essential Guide,” can be reached at wine@paulgregutt.com.