It will probably mellow out just fine. Another trick is to add just a hint
of sweetness. Not enough to make the sugar stand out. Just enough to bring
out the fruit a bit to add flavor to cover up the alcohol. This may well be
doable after you bottle just by adding a half teaspoon of sugar to the wine
when you let it breath.

Ray

> wrote in message
ups.com...
>I just bottled a 5 gallon batch of Carignane wine made from fresh
> (California) grapes. Brix was an even 23 and it fermented to dryness,
> so that would put it in around 13% alcohol by volume. The wine tastes
> fine except that the alcohol is quite noticeable... and leaves a hot
> alcoholic aftertaste.
>
> I've never had this happen before... will the alcoholic kick mellow
> out over time in the bottle? Or am I stuck with firewater?
>
> Any ideas why a medium-bodied red wine at 13% abv would taste so
> alcoholic?
>
> -Travis
>