Look, I love a big red wine as much as the next person — in fact, well-made California Cabernets are among my favorite wines (along with Chateauneuf-du-Pape, big Tuscan reds, and some of those deep Douro reds, to name just a few).

But there are moments that it seems there is no longer any dividing line between big and full-bodied on one side, and super-ripe and ridiculously high in alcohol on the other.

The last few days of wine tasting have included a number of wines that have literally burned my nose, the alcohol was so high. I’m talking published levels of 16.5%, and my guess is that a couple of them were even higher. The wines smelled and tasted of alcohol burn, and any fruit that managed to fight its way through the fumes tasted burned and bitter.

Whatever winemakers and winery marketing materials may say, these wines are not balanced. There’s not enough acidity in the world (or out of a bag) that will make these wines taste balanced. They taste like liqueurs or fortified wines, pure and simple. And not particularly tasty ones, at that.

It’s hard to come up with definite rules about wine buying, but I would say that my favorite wines — the ones I consistently think are the most well-made and appealing — come in under 15% alcohol. They have a refreshing quality that a beverage that is supposed to be paired with food should have. Yes, there are exceptions. And yes, the alcohol level printed on the label may not be exact. But I think it’s as good a rule as any when you’re browsing in a wine store.

So last night, after yet another high alcohol wine bomb (this one a Cab-Rhone blend from Paso Robles) was summarily poured down the drain, I opened a bottle that illustrates my point exactly. Big, rich, but balanced:

Robert Craig 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley Howell Mountain ($70). Concentrated blackberry and currant flavors and aromas are focused and layered with accents of white pepper, cedar, espresso and baking spices, with a long, slightly earthy finish. Tempting now, with a couple of hours of decanting, and over the next 8-10 years. Locate this wine online or in your area.

And don’t think you have to spend seventy bucks to get a balanced wine, because you don’t. Just keep an eye on that alcohol level, and you’ll be ahead of the game!