Large wineries might be able to afford a GC, but smaller wineries still use distillation (there's an old fashioned technique called ebulliometry - but I'm not sure how common this method is). Our research lab uses an Anton Paar Alcolyzer (fast, reliable method) worth approximately $20K. Commercial labs do also use IR spectroscopy. I'm not dam

I read an interesting article entitled : Research article Rapid and mobile determination of alcoholic strength in wine, beer and spirits using a flow-through infrared sensor.

I'm sendig you a copy. Best regards Lisa

Official analytical methods for alcohol determination in wines are described by OIV. These methods are available in English on their website http://www.oiv.int/oiv/info/ennouvelleeditionmethodes?lang=en

Practically in France, most of the labs and huge wineries have been using Fourier Transform InfraRed spectroscopy (FTIR) for more than 5 years.

Good luck !

The alcohol content in fermented and distilled beverages can be performed by ebulliometer, pycnometer density (Alcoholmeter), DMA alcolizer and CG. In our lab recently implemented an HPLC method and use the DMA alcolizer and ebulliometer.

I work in a bottling company. We use Anton Paar alcolyzer Wine, for alcohol in wines, and the Anton Paar Alcolyzer Spirits,  for spirits.

Headspace-Gas Chromatography-Flame Ionisation Detector

Gas Chromatography will be the best method and even IR spectrometer also can be used.

Completing the answers above, the direct determination of alcohol content by a home wine-maker can be performed using an alcoholometer calibrated at 20 ºC. A correction table is also necessary to convert the measured alcohol content to the alcohol content at 20 ºC .

In Austria the most often used method for alcohol determination in wine is FT-IR (e.g wine scan Fa. Foss) because it is cheap, simple and fast (1 min). Furthermore you get additional Information about sugar respectivelly acid content and composition and more (e.g. density). However, you Need a good calibration and have to be aware of matrix effects. A disadvantage is the high cost of the Instrument (round 100.000 €).

There are several methods for the alcohol determination in wines. In wineries, the most often method for the ethyl alcohol determination is ebulliyometer. If you obtaine a precise result, I have to to use GC-FID for alcohol determination.

In EU i think exist normative methods, based on destilation of sample with wather to accurate volume, the mass is weight and then confronted to tabeled values. 

excuse me, the water is  added  only to fill to the  accurate volume after destilation

in wine industry tipically distillation of 100 ml of wine  and densitometry of the distilled fraction

In attachments the alcohol  international analytical methods OIV

Enrico

the information done by Enrico is correct. Additionally the analysis by FTIR  is also rapid and accurate but implies the acquisition of the equipment.