How do you determine the alcohol content of wine?

By law wines must be indicate the alcohol percentage on the label. This number is expressed in different ways. One winery may indicate the degree of alcohol present (12.5 degrees). It may be expressed as a percentage by another winery (12.5%). If the wine is labeled "Table Wine" in the U.S. it will have under 14% alcohol.

In the U.S. wineries are allowed a 1.5% leeway in the accuracy of the alcohol level. This applies to both domestic and imported wines. The level may not exceed 14%.

If knowing the alcohol level is important, practice reading the labels to become comfortable with recognizing the numbers. If you take any type of medication ask your doctor or pharmacist to explain how alcohol interacts with the particular drugs you are taking.

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