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Low alcohol wine? Don't knock it until you've tried these

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Chablis of this quality is rare

I’ve just got back from skiing down a couple of Alps.

And aside from the crystal, piercing freshness of the mountain air, I also enjoyed possibly my all-time  favourite post-exercise snack, at Les Chanterelles crêperie: the ‘Volcanique’.

It’s a savoury crêpe with an eruption of flavours from spicy sausage to peppers and an egg, perfectly centred on the dish – gloriously nourishing after sliding down a mountain.

And it’s better still accompanied by a pichet of the local white.

Which brings me to the most remarkable thing about the local Savoyard vino: its restrained levels of alcohol.

The reds came in at around 12.5 per cent or less, and some whites claimed a mere 11 per cent on the bottle.

A few glasses in, there’s a huge difference between wines like this mountain-fresh laser juice and head-banging bottles that can reach as high as 15 per cent.

High-alcohol wines with tongue-spanking tastes can be fun, but have a tendency to swamp the flavours of a meal and can leave you feeling giddy after a couple of glasses.

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It seems I’m not alone in peering closely at the label to note the level of alcohol. Judging by the number of emails and letters I receive asking about alcohol levels, it’s something that concerns many readers out there – and from now on I’ll be including the percentage of alcohol in all my recommendations.

Ask Olly...

Joanne Smith asks: ‘What’s the best way to store Champagne?’You can store Champagne upright or on its side, but you need to keep it out of direct sunlight and at an even 12-13°C.A wine cabinet from manufacturers such as EuroCave could be a good investment if you’re a serious

If you’re looking to restrain the level of booze in your bottle, you should bear in mind that alcohol tends to be higher in wines from hotter places – so as a rule of thumb, it’s a good idea to hunt for wines from cooler climes, such as mountainous regions.

Note too that the climate of a particular vineyard can be affected by proximity to the coast (as in Bordeaux), altitude (as in Elqui in the Chilean Andes) or its orientation – in the northern hemisphere, sites facing north are cooler, while the opposite is true in the southern hemisphere.

On the red front, Gamay is a good grape variety to go for, generally offering levels of around 13%.

So too are Austrian Blaufränkisch and Cabernet Franc – the 13% Les Nivières 2011, Saumur, £8.49 in Waitrose, is excellent for a lighter red.

Another solid option for quality, affordable reds at around 13% is Italian Chianti.

As for low-alcohol whites, you’ll find England offers some top examples.

But don’t forget the zesty glory of Portuguese Vinho Verde, or the more obscure but arrestingly tart, shrill and spritzy Txakoli from Spain’s Basque region – worth looking out for on restaurant wine lists.

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Italy too can offer rich pickings, such as bubbly Prosecco, or you could try South West France for zinging whites that are perfect as an aperitif.

For example, Marks & Spencer’s Vin de Pays du Gers 2011, £4.99, with lemony bite at 11.5 per cent, or Aldi Bordeaux Blanc 2011, £4.19, at 12per cent.

One word of warning: wines that are deliberately marketed as lower in alcohol have a dispiriting tendency to taste revolting.

However, Jacob’s Creek Cool Harvest Sauvignon Blanc 2012 from Oz is worth a shout at 10.5 per cent, while The Doctors’ Sauvignon Blanc 2011 from New Zealand is outstanding at 9.5 per cent.

There’s definitely a move afoot among winemakers in general to carefully control the winemaking process and examine new methods of vineyard management to deliver wines that have more elegance.

And if it means that I can safely enjoy a skiing holiday and sip vino with sensible levels of booze, then I’m all for it.

All I need now is the recipe for that Volcanique.

Wine rules: No 36

Opening fizz shouldn’t be a noisy affair!

If the bottle goes pop, you risk losing the precious vino inside as it spoofs out. For the perfect ‘sigh’ sound as the cork eases out, hold the bottle on its side and turn it while gripping the cork.

As you feel the pressure build, meet it with your strength, and as the cork slips free, pour gently into a tilted glass.

Wine news

The Real Wine Fair 2013 is coming to London on March 17, offering the chance to taste over 500 ‘natural’ wines – made with minimal use of sulphites, pesticides and other additives. It’ll be  a fascinating event, and you can order the wines you love on the day. Tickets are available at therealwinefair.com for £15 (with a £1.55 booking fee).


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