Books, Arts & Manners: Lite Is In—Irradiation’s Next

The foods we eat and the wines we drink are going to be different in the near future, my informants tell me. As to wine, light—or, in its trendy spelling, “lite”—is in, meaning wines that are not as high in alcoholic content as the great majority of American, and especially California, wines, which normally run around 12 to 14 per cent by volume.

Part of what has happened is that American winemakers and wine writers have finally discovered that wine goes with food and in fact is food, rather than an esoteric beverage to be sipped with awe. At the same time, strong waters, even Scotch and vodka, are no longer as popular as they used to be (“Brown goods are in the dumps,” a doleful liquor wholesaler told me today; incidentally, what ever became of the all-American rye whisky?). Hence the noticeable turning toward drinks with a 10 to 11 per cent alcoholic content. German wines, low in alcohol (usually hovering around 8 to 10 per cent), are becoming increasingly popular, and California and other American winemakers are zeroing in. Among the new wines, I have found the “soft” Domain San Martin California Chenin Blanc (1984), the Johannisberg Riesling, and the White Zinfandel, all with around 8 per cent alcohol by volume, very pleasing and potable; not great wines but nice wines, wines that don’t zonk you as you sip them but are still honest-to-goodness wine.

NH

About the Author

Nika Hazelton

Featured Tags

The foods we eat and the wines we drink are going to be different in the near future, my informants tell me. As to wine, light—or, in its trendy spelling, “lite”—is in, meaning wines that are not as high in alcoholic content as the great majority of American, and especially California, wines, which normally run around 12 to 14 per cent by volume.

Part of what has happened is that American winemakers and wine writers have finally discovered that wine goes with food and in fact is food, rather than an esoteric beverage to be sipped with awe. At the same time, strong waters, even Scotch and vodka, are no longer as popular as they used to be (“Brown goods are in the dumps,” a doleful liquor wholesaler told me today; incidentally, what ever became of the all-American rye whisky?). Hence the noticeable turning toward drinks with a 10 to 11 per cent alcoholic content. German wines, low in alcohol (usually hovering around 8 to 10 per cent), are becoming increasingly popular, and California and other American winemakers are zeroing in. Among the new wines, I have found the “soft” Domain San Martin California Chenin Blanc (1984), the Johannisberg Riesling, and the White Zinfandel, all with around 8 per cent alcohol by volume, very pleasing and potable; not great wines but nice wines, wines that don’t zonk you as you sip them but are still honest-to-goodness wine.