Knowing how many glasses of wine in a bottle is important for a few reasons. You need to know this information to plan a wine tasting, a dinner party, or want to pace yourself; it is crucial to know how many
On average, there are five glasses of wine in a standard 750 ml (i.e., 25 ounces) standard wine bottle. For a couple, sharing five glasses of wine in a night is plenty. For a larger group, you might want to get more bottles.
To make intelligent decisions about your wine consumption, you probably have additional questions. This blog for wine lovers will help you to make informed, healthy decisions as a wine enthusiast. Before going further, alcohol abuse, alcohol cravings, and alcohol use disorder are serious problems. If you are worried about these situations, please discuss your concerns with your doctor.
Is A Glass Of Wine 5 or 6 Ounces?
According to health guidelines from the Mayo Clinic, a standard glass of wine is 5 ounces (i.e., 148 ml). That said, many restaurants offer different servings. I have seen 9-ounce servings offered in restaurants, for example. This is equivalent to drinking 1.5 standard servings. To better moderate your wine consumption, it is best to choose a standard drink (i.e., 5 ounces of wine). To keep your alcohol consumption under control, choosing a high-quality 5-ounce glass of wine is a good choice.
Tip: Knowing how many glasses of wine in a bottle is a helpful to keep in mind when you order a bottle for dinner. The answer is five servings!
How Much Wine Is Too Much?
While each person is different, there are some guidelines to keep in mind to determine your daily wine content. For a definitive answer to guide your wine drinking, let’s consult a few alcohol health experts.
- CDC: The CDC recommends “drink in moderation by limiting intake to 2 drinks or less in a day for men or one drink or less in a day for women, on days when alcohol is consumed.” However, we should also note that the CDC notes “drinking less is better for health than drinking more.”
- Mayo Clinic. After noting that there is limited information about the effects of moderate drinking, the Mayo Clinic offers similar guidance to the CDC: “Moderate alcohol use for healthy adults generally means up to one drink a day for women and up to two drinks a day for men.” In wine terms, one drink means “5 fluid ounces.”
How Much Wine Is Healthy?
There is no simple answer to this question. As your resident wine expert, there are a few guidelines to keep in mind.
- Drinking Less Is Better For Health. Health experts like the CDC note that “drinking less is better for health than drinking more.” For example, if you are seeking to lose weight, it may be helpful to stop drinking wine for some time altogether. For several years, I have observed “dry January,” where I completely stop wine drinking (and abstain from all alcohol) for at least a month each year.
- Contribution of Red Wine Consumption to Human Health Protection. This 2018 research article explored the effect of red wine on human health. The findings do not provide a simple answer. However, Table 2 of the research offers a critical clue. The researchers seem to agree that lower amounts (e.g., 0.1 to 0.2L) seem to be associated with health benefits. These potential health benefits may not apply to people who drink larger amounts of alcohol.
- Health Considerations. In some situations, drinking wine or, indeed, any alcohol is not wise. For example, pregnant women may want to avoid alcohol. In addition, alcohol and some prescription medications may not be compatible. For advice related to your specific situation, ask your doctor’s advice.
- Alcohol Content Varies. There is a difference between drinking two glasses of a low alcohol wine and two glasses of a high alcohol content wine.
Is it OK To Drink A Bottle Of Wine A Day?
No, it is not OK to drink a bottle of wine a day. That is too much wine per day!
A single bottle of wine contains five servings of wine which is more than double the amount of wine recommended per day for men and even more for women. A heavy drinker whose alcohol intake includes who consumes five drinks per day (i.e., the typical amount in a single bottle) may need to seek help for alcohol abuse.
Drinking a bottle of wine would yourself would count as “binge drinking.” The Mayo Clinic notes that “heavy drinking — including binge drinking — has no health benefits.”
The Mayo Clinic defines binge drinking in simple terms:
Binge drinking is defined as four or more drinks within two hours for women and five or more drinks within two hours for men. Excessive drinking can increase your risk of serious health problems
The math is simple. A standard bottle of wine contains five drinks of wine. If you were to drink a typical bottle, it is virtually certain you are in binge drinking. Further, drinking a bottle of wine will probably far exceed your ideal daily calorie intake (considering putting a half empty bottle in the freezer? Read this first: does wine freeze?).
If you have concerns about your level of wine consumption, please see a doctor for advice regarding your health. Wine may be a delight, but it needs to be enjoyed in moderation.
How Much Alcohol Is In A Glass of Wine?
To find out the alcohol level in a single serving of wine, we need to look at the details of the specific wine bottle. There is a substantial difference between a red wine at 15% alcohol by volume and lighter white wines with 10% alcohol by volume.
While there is no simple answer to the question, there is a range to keep in mind.
Low Alcohol By Volume Wine
Let’s say you browse through your wine collection and pick up a Riesling wine with 10% alcohol by volume. In this case, the wine glasses you pour will have relatively low alcohol.
In this case, a single serving of wine has 11.6 grams of alcohol (i.e., equivalent to 0.83 drinks according to the Nutrition Heart calculator). A casual drinker seeking to minimize the alcohol intake may want to consider choosing lower alcohol white wines most of the time.
High Alcohol by Volume Wine
Returning to your wine collection a few days later, you decide you are in the mood for a different red wine. Before you open the entire bottle, let’s take a look at the alcohol level because this will inform . For example, you might have a California Cabernet Sauvignon with 14% alcohol by volume. With this type of stronger wine, consuming a bottle of wine in one sitting will almost certainly put you in the heavy drinker or binge drinking category.
In this case, a single serving of wine has 16.3 grams of alcohol (i.e., equivalent to 1.17 drinks according to the Nutrition Heart calculator). For casual drinking of this type of wine, you may want to adjust your approach. By all means, enjoy one serving of wine. If you want more, consider pouring yourself half a serving of wine (i.e., 2.5 ounces).
Why Alcohol In Moderation Is The Best Policy
Assuming you do not have alcohol cravings or alcohol use dependency, alcohol in moderation may be reasonable. This blog for wine lovers advocates choosing your wine thoughtfully and enjoying each glass of wine. Taking your wine to smell, taste, and savor the wine adds to the experience. Know that you know the answer to “How many glasses of wine,” you might end up with an unfinished bottle of wine now and then. If you are wondering, “does wine go bad?” the answer is yes. Fortunately, there are ways to enjoy a bottle of wine over several days.
