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We are constantly being warned about the dangers of excessive wine consumption. In recent years improved viticulture has resulted in a steady increase in the alcohol level in table wines. This is causing concern within the wine industry, with winemakers and vineyard owners seeking a solution that will reduce alcohol without spoiling flavours, Bureaucrats in Brussels seem intent on ruining all their good efforts.

There are two options when it comes to producing wines with lower alcohol levels. Either you pick the grapes early and under-ripe, which lessens the sugar content and, consequently, the alcohol level. This is authorised within the EU, but tends to produce wines that are largely undrinkable. The alternative is to use ripe grapes, produce a normal strength wine and then reduce the alcohol by reverse osmosis. This is widely practiced in the New World, but banned by the Luddites in Brussels.

In a ruling that smacks of wine snobbery the EU is insisting that the traditional, european method is best. This is despite research that shows that the New World system of de-alcoholisation can reduce the alcohol level by as much as 3 percent, without impairing the wine's flavour.

Claude Vialade, who has developed a wine, called So Light, with only 9 per cent alcohol, on her Domaine Auriol estate in the South of France, said; “It’s absolutely absurd for Europe to prohibit this at a time when health officials are trying to persuade people to consume less alcohol.”

The British Government has involved itself in this issue by backing campaigns to promote safe, sensible drinking. Hopefully, they will use whatever influence they have within the EU to reverse this arcane decision.

International Wine Challenge – Results Announced

Every year the great and good of the wine trade, plus me, come together in London to judge the world’s leading wine competition – the International Wine Challenge (IWC). Over a period of two weeks we sniff, swirl and spit our way through over 9000 wines from all over the world. The results of all our deliberations have now been made public, and they illustrate the continued improvement in quality in the world’s wine.

This year the judges awarded 304 Gold medals, up 13% on last year, 1304 Silvers and 2154 Bronzes, a total of 3458 medals. The wines came from 41 countries. France topped the medal table with 49 Golds, with Australia in second place, striking Gold on 43 occasions. Somewhat surprisingly, Portugal came third, with 36 Golds.

There was also Gold in England, for Camel Valley Bacchus 2007.

The competition was summarised by leading UK wine writer Tim Atkin MW, Co-Chairman of the IWC, saying: “The IWC is the most credible and carefully judged competition of its kind. Each medal winning wine is tasted t least three times to ensure that the winners are of high quality and are recognised as such by the wine industry and consumers alike.”