Alcohol Flavors in Wines

"Alcohol; of course, is one of the reasons why we love wine and other beverages. Alcohol, in moderation; does have what I like to call a mood enhancement effect. However; alcohol is much more than just the woohoo factor in a glass of wine. It is one of the components of wine flavor. You should notice it, but it shouldn't hit you over the head, and it definitely needs to be in balance with the other components of the wine flavor. If you take a nice sip of wine, you should notice that it's got the little sting; the little bitterness; the little prickly kind of heat feeling of alcohol, but it shouldn't be the most outstanding factor. The alcohol should balance with the fruit, and the tannin, and the acidity; and make sense for the overall flavor profile and body of the wine. If you can feel it or taste it too much, the wine actually might be out of balance for alcohol. There's a funny term we use for a wine that's out of balance for alcohol, and it's called hot. Now I know, for most things; when you smile and say they're hot; they're going to smile and say thank you, but when you call a wine hot, it's actually an insult. It's actually a defect in the wine. We want the alcohol in the wine. We will taste it, we will smell it, we will feel it; but you want to make sure it's in balance with all the other components of your wine's flavor. Otherwise, don't drink it. Call me; I'll drink it for you"