Posted To: The Garrett Watts Report

During my work yesterday at the wine competition , I learned an interesting bit of information about a trend in their industry that sounded similar to a recent trend in the mortgage industry. Let me explain. Twenty plus years ago, the percentage of alcohol in red wines was around 12%. Today, many red wines are 15% or higher. According to seasoned judges, wine with higher alcohol can mask the actual characteristics of the fruit, leaving little differentiation among wines. Not only does it compromise the taste of wines, wine enthusiasts can get intoxicated quicker. So why did this happen? Wine sales are driven by the ratings of 3-4 wine publications such as Wine Spectator. A higher rating from these publications boosts the sales and profits of wineries. Over the years, the higher alcohol wines...(read more)