Most People Don’t Know Wine Moves Like This | EVERYDAY MYSTERY

Well it can tell you about the quality, but only if you live in the US and the reason is taxes.  Wine above 13.9% jumps into a higher tax bracket and is considered a "luxury good".  So wineries aim for that 13-13.9% range to maximize value per unit for the consumer.  It's what separates a $20 bottle from a $35 bottle.  Naturally some people will pay extra for that nicer bottle with the higher ABV, so wineries make those too, and naturally they're going to be more selective about those grapes.  You don't want someone to pay extra for a bottle and feel like they got ripped off.


Now I  know what you're thinking.  You're thinking about that apocryphal study from about 15 years ago where wine connoisseurs were presented with samples of cheap and expensive wine side by side and couldn't tell the difference.  Well, that wasn't a real study.  It's just an apocryphal story that has been tossed around the industry for decades.  Trust me, I can tell the difference and I'm not even a sommolier.  I'm just a production guy with a lot of experience.