"Steve Slatcher" > wrote in message
...
> You might like to take a look here
> http://www.wineloverspage.com/forum/...hp?f=3&t=39034
>
> I think your reasoning is sound.
>
> "Ancient" is a very broad term, and I feel pretty safe in saying the wine
> will have been of various strengths. But, yes, people often seem to think
> that the wine was strong. A contemporary wrote about a wine being strong
> enough to catch fire, and the amount needed to get drunk was also
> discussed. But we will never get alcohol statistics from what remains of
> historical records.
>
> www.winenous.co.uk
>
>
The alcohol content of wine is dependant on the percent of fermentable sugar
in the grape, nothing else. Any wine with more than about 13-13.5% alcohol
has been fortified in some way.

Current wines are higher in alcohol than wines 30 years ago, by 1-1.5%. I
think that's secondary to global warning.

Kent