Before drinking any wine, it is essential to think through how it impacts your health. The number of calories in a bottle of white wine varies. If you need a general number, there are about 600 calories in a 750 ml bottle of white wine.
As always, moderation is your friend when it comes to wine. An occasional glass of fortified wine at Christmas or a glass of champagne at New Year’s Eve only adds a small number of additional calories. When possible, seek out high-quality wines and take your time to enjoy them. There is a wide variety of quality wines available today.
Dry White Wine Calories
Generally speaking, a dry white wine will have a relatively low amount of calories. The reason is simple: dry wines have less sugar content than sweet wines. That said, if you are concerned about weight gain, it is wise to avoid alcoholic drinks altogether.
A typical glass of dry white wine has about 100 calories assuming 10% alcohol content. In contrast, a bottle of wine would contain approximately 600 calories. If you choose a wine with the lowest alcohol content (i.e., an ABV wine under 10%), the caloric count will be even lower.
If you limit If your wine per day is limited to a single five-ounce glass per day, you will not need to worry about calories per bottle. Instead, your wine bottles will last you over a few days.
Sweet White Wine Calories
Sweet wine is different! Generally speaking, sweet wines (including sweet dessert wines like port wine) have a higher alcohol content and calorie content. It is wise to minimize how many fortified wines and sweet wines you drink to minimize weight gain.
There is an important pattern to keep in mind here. In restaurants, you will typically receive about three ounces less than a standard glass of wine. The smaller serving amount somewhat offsets the higher alcohol by volume in these wines.
Sparkling White Wines
Opening a bottle of brut champagne is fun, but you might be wondering about the calorie count. Let’s get the facts. Brut champagne has minimal calories – perhaps less than 100 calories per glass.
However, sparkling wine consumption is rarely limited to one glass for a simple reason. Few people want to open a bottle of sparkling wine, drink a glass, and put the bottle in the fridge because the bubbles will disappear. Keep this tendency in mind before opening your next bottle of brut champagne or champagne alternatives.
What About Alcohol-Free Wine?
Alcohol-free wine is a popular type of wine for some cooks. In terms of calorie content, it is helpful to look at the wine label closely. You may be surprised to find out that a standard bottle of alcohol-free wine does contain a minimal amount of alcohol.
On average, a single glass of alcohol-free wine contains about one-third the calories of regular glass. To put that into caloric content terms, expect about 30 calories in a glass. That’s much less than most soft drinks on the market.
Wine Vs. Beer: Average Calorie Counts
In almost every situation, I prefer wine to beer. Yet, there are some cases where beer is enjoyable. To plan your eating and drinking, knowing the difference in calories between these drinks is helpful.
- Typical Glass of Wine: 100 calories (assuming 10% alcohol content and a five once serving)
- Beer: average calorie counts vary based on serving size. The typical beer is 150 calories. However, some light beers have around 50 calories.
There is a rare situation where we have to admit beer may have the advantage over wine. IF your goal is to enjoy an alcoholic beverage while minimizing calories, a single serving of light beer has the least calories. That said, I think the calories in wine are well worth it.
Important Health Reminder
As a wine lover, it is essential to recognize the risks of alcohol to heart health, alcohol use disorder, and related problems. People who engage in excessive drinking, heavy drinking, and binge drinking are more likely to suffer alcohol-related problems.
Keep the following guidelines in mind to keep your relationship with alcohol healthy.
- For Men: “15 drinks a week for men, with no more than three drinks a day most days” (source: Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction)
- For Women: “10 drinks a week for women, with no more than two drinks a day most days” (source: Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction). Further, note that pregnant women are generally encouraged to avoid all alcohol.
- Drinking Habits. It is wise to plan non-drinking days every week to avoid developing a daily drinking habit. In addition, I recommend avoiding alcohol for at least one whole month each year (I observe dry January).
A standard drink in this context means a 5-ounce glass (146 mL) glass of wine. Keep this point in mind when you order wine at a restaurant. On menus, you have to look carefully to see the serving size before drinking. Otherwise, you might end up drinking developing drinking habits with an 8-ounce glass. At that level, you are likely to put on the extra weight and may risk developing other problems.
Wine Consumption And Weight Gain
Do you want to lose a pound of weight more quickly? One of the easiest ways is to eliminate all “liquid calories” like wine coolers, regular beer, light beers, sparkling wine, or dessert wine. Avoiding alcohol calories and adding more water to your daily routine is one of the easiest ways to improve your physical health.
A Calorie-Free Way To Enjoy Wine More
What if you could enjoy a nice glass of wine more deeply? You don’t have to pass difficult wine exams to enjoy your drinks. Instead, spend some time learning more about the winemaking process and the wide variety of wines on the market. When you know more about wine, you can savor each glass and avoid worrying about how many calories in a bottle of white wine you buy.
To boost your appreciation of wine, I recommend Jennifer Simonetti-Bryan’s audio course: “The Everyday Guide to Wine Great Course.” For a full review of the pros and cons of the Great Course, please read my detailed review: The Everyday Guide to Wine (Audible Great Course): 24 Lectures That Guide You Through The World’s Wines.
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