If you’re the type who is conscious about your weight and food intake, the number of calories present in every single bite will matter to you. Well, in this case, not only bites but gulps as well. While many say they “diet”, they probably only watch the types of food they take.
However, the types of drinks just matter too. Wines especially have been known to quickly add up to your calorie intake in a day (especially if you’re the type who takes more than a few glasses per day).
In most cases, many wouldn’t even know how many calories are present in the bottle or in a glass of wine they’re presently enjoying. This is because many of these wines do not explicitly state the number of calories present on the label.
In this article, we’ll be discussing where the calories in wines come from, how to calculate these calories, and the calories present in different types of wines. Read to the end to find out how to keep your wine calorie intake down!
Where do the Calories in Wines Come From?
It’s only fair that you know where these calories come from before even learning how to calculate their quantity.
To start with, you should know there are two sources of calories in wines: sugar and alcohol. As you’d expect, the grapes which winemakers use contain sugar.
During the fermentation of the grape juice, the yeast breaks down the sugar in the grape juice into alcohol and carbon dioxide.
However, the yeast does not convert all the sugar to alcohol, hence there is some sugar left in the finished wine. Winemakers refer to this sugar as residual sugar.
Hence, these two produce the calories present in wine. Just before we move on, how many calories does each source actually contribute?
1. Alcohol
Alcohol is the major contributor to the calorie content of wine, adding 7 calories per gram to wine. However, it doesn’t increase the content of carbohydrates. The reason behind this is because alcohol is not metabolized the same way as sugar (which is a carbohydrate).
Hence, if you’re only on a carbohydrate keto diet, a glass of dry wine (which contains low amounts of carbohydrate) won’t hurt.
However, in red and white wines, a higher alcohol content means you’ll be consuming a higher number of calories (due to the higher amount of carbohydrates/sugar in both).
2. Sugar
Sugar is a carbohydrate and it adds about 4 calories per gram to wine. The number of calories contributed by sugar to a bottle of wine will depend on the amount of residual sugar in the wine.
Hence, a sweet dessert wine will have a smaller serving compared to a light-bodied red wine due to the wide difference in their carbohydrate content (20 grams per pour compared to 3 grams per pour).
Now, let’s see how you can calculate the number of calories by just knowing the alcohol content.
How to Calculate the Calorie Content of Any Wine?
Most people do not know how many calories are present in that delicious glass of wine they just sipped. This is because most wines don’t have their nutritional facts sheet printed on the label.
However, you do not need this to have an approximate value of the calories present in your wine.
One value that is always present on all wines is the alcohol by volume (ABV) value which is always expressed in percentages.
With this value and the number of ounces in your glass or the whole bottle, you can find out the number of calories in the wine. To calculate this, you can use the formula:
Alcohol Calories = Ounces x ABV x 1.6
If you’re having your wine in a restaurant, you’re most likely having a five-ounce (150 ml) pour of wine. Hence, a five-ounce pour of wine with an ABV of 14 percent will have a calorie value of:
5 x 14 x 1.6 = 112 calories
If you were to calculate the number of calories present in the whole bottle, you’ll need to know the number of ounces present in the whole bottle. In an average wine bottle, there are 25.4 ounces of wine. Hence, such a bottle with an ABV of 13 percent will contain 528.32 calories.
However, it is important to know that these calorie values are only for the alcohol content of the wine. The sugar calorie content cannot be given a definite value due to the scarce representation of the sugar level present in wine bottles.
However, it is still possible to give an approximate value using some benchmark values.
In most cases, these wines are labeled with remarks such as extra dry, dry, medium sweet, sweet, and dessert.
Now, some regulatory boards (such as the Liquor Board of Ontario {LCBO}) have come up with sweetness charts that have a range of values for these remarks.
According to this chart, a wine labeled “dry” will have a residual sugar content level of 5 – 17 g/L. To know the sugar calorie content of such a bottle of wine:
- First, it is advisable to pick the higher limit as the sugar content of your wine. While it will not give an accurate value, you’ll stay within the desired limits for your wine.
- Then, you divide this actual residual sugar value by 10 to derive the residual sugar level in percentage (%RS) i.e. 17/10 = 1.7 percent.
- Then you use the formula:
Sugar Calories = Ounces x %RS x 1.14
With this formula, you can derive an approximate value for the sugar calorie of the wine and add it to the alcohol calorie content to derive the total calorie content of the wine.
Perhaps you do not want to rack your head with all those calculations, you can use online calorie content calculators to find out.
Examples of Wines and their Calorie Content
If you’re still not satisfied with the idea of punching in some numbers, we have compiled a list of wines for you in this section along with the calorie content in a bottle. We’ll be dividing these wines into categories while explaining each of them.
Red Wines Calories
To start with, red wines tend to have a higher alcohol content due to their higher level of tannins. Hence, their alcohol calorie content will be considerably higher compared to a white wine which has a lower tannin level and alcohol by volume (ABV) value.
The average bottle of red wine (750mL) will contain about 625 calories. However, some sweeter red wines might contain higher calorie levels due to their elevated sugar content. Hence, it is advisable to check your wine bottle for the labels present.
Here are some examples of popular red wines with the calorie content in their bottles.
| RED WINES | CALORIE CONTENT (PER 750 ML BOTTLE) |
| Cabernet Sauvignon | 600 Calories |
| Merlot | 600 Calories |
| Pinot Noir | 620 Calories |
| Shiraz | 626 Calories |
| Zinfandel | 664 Calories |
Related Read: Red Wine Sweetness: What Kind of Red Wine is Sweet
White Wines Calories
White wines generally have a lower amount of calorie content compared to red wines. Due to the lower amount of tannins in them, their alcohol by volume (ABV) value is lower. Hence, their calorie content will be lower compared to a bottle of red wine with similar sugar content.
On average, a 750ml bottle of white wine will contain 600 calories. Some even go as low as 400 calories (if it a dry white wine). If you’ll like to enjoy a few glasses of wine without having to worry about too much calorie intake, a dry white wine will be your best bet.
Here are a few examples of white wines with their calorie content (per 750ml bottle):
| WHITE WINES | CALORIE CONTENT (PER 750 ML BOTTLE) |
| Riesling | 575 Calories |
| Chardonnay | 600 Calories |
| Chenin Blanc | 606 Calories |
| Sauvignon Blanc | 609 Calories |
| Semillon | 622 Calories |
| Point Gris (Grigio) | 624 Calories |
Rose Wines Calories
Although the Rose wine (or rose) is a medium-bodied red wine, it gives just about the same number of calories as any red wine. It comes in a variety of colors ranging from amber to purple.
If you’re about to enjoy a bottle of Rose, always remember that the darker shades mean more calories. Therefore, if you’re watching your weight but would still prefer a Rose, it is better to stick with the lighter shades.
Although the Rose wine (or rose) is a medium-bodied red wine, it gives just about the same number of calories as any red wine.
An average bottle of Rose wine contains about 625 calories. It comes in a variety of colors ranging from amber to purple. If you’re about to enjoy a bottle of Rose, always remember that the darker shades mean more calories.
Therefore, if you’re watching your weight but would still prefer a Rose, it is better to stick with the lighter shades.
Here are some examples of Rose wines with their calorie content per bottle:
| ROSE WINES | calorie content (per 750 ml bottle) |
| Wölffer Estate Rosé | 525 Calories |
| Château Miraval Côtes de Provence Rosé | 533 Calories |
| Château d’Esclans Whispering Angel Côtes de Provence Rosé | 554 Calories |
Related Read: Calories in Rose Wine: Can Rose Wine Help You Lose Weight?
Chardonnay Wines Calories
A bolder cousin to the Chablis wines, Chardonnay wines are some of the best dry white wines you could ever taste. With its light and refreshing taste, an average bottle of Chardonnay wine has about 600 calories.
Below are some examples of Chardonnay wines with their calorie content per bottle:
| CHARDONNAY WINES | CALORIE CONTENT (PER 750 ML BOTTLE) |
| Icellars Estate Winery Chardonnay 2017 | 536 Calories |
| Stag’s Leap Winery Chardonnay 2018 | 578 Calories |
| Beringer Private Reserve Chardonnay 2018 | 611 Calories |
Port Wines Calories
The port wine is a type of fortified wine manufactured in the Douro Valley of North Portugal. Fortified wines have a different preparation method compared to that of most wines.
During the fermentation process, the winemakers add distilled grape spirits to the grape juice.
Hence, this prevents all the sugar from turning to alcohol, leaving a sweet and highly alcoholic wine as the end result. Due to this quite high combination, the calorie content of Port wines is usually outrageous. Port wines are not your everyday kind of wines but are more appropriate for special treats.
Below are some examples of Port wines with their calorie content per bottle:
| PORT WINES | CALORIE CONTENT (PER 750 ML BOTTLE) |
| Kopke Fine Ruby Port | 824 Calories |
| Dow’s Vintage Port 2017 | 840 Calories |
| Graham’s 10 Years old Tawny Port | 842 Calories |
How to Keep Your Wine Calorie Intake in Check?
While you might find it easier to diet on foods and cut out fatty rich foods, the same cannot be said about wines. With the ease which they go down the throat, you could have downed three pours without flipping an eyelid.
However, these wines could have a serious effect on your calorie intake and weight. Here are a few ways to make sure you don’t take more than the recommended amount daily:
Go for Higher Quality Wines
Wines of lower quality tend to have a lot of sugary additives. Hence, their calorie content per pour might be very high. However, with wines of higher quality, there’s a lot more natural sweetness from the grapes.
This would not give as much calorie content compared to the mass-produced wines.
Take Dry Wines
The low sugar content of dry wines makes them a very good option for anyone who is trying to lower their calorie intake.
However, it is also important to check the alcohol content of the dry wine as well. If the sugar content is low but the alcohol content is still considerably high, the calorie content will most likely be the same.
Watch How Much You Pour
This applies to you if you do most of your drinking in the comfort of your home. For those who drink mostly in restaurants, there’s a high chance your pour of wine is carefully measured before you get it.
However, in the comfort of your home, your serving size could be unknowingly more than required. Learn how to serve the standard 5 ounces of wine with different glasses. This way, you can still monitor your wine servings even in the comfort of your home.
Cut Down on the Alcoholic Wines
While alcoholic wines do have their calorie content, they also tend to affect your eating habits in bad ways. Have you ever noticed your craving for salty or fatty foods the morning after a drinking spree?
Studies have shown that alcohol tends to increase the body’s craving for savory foods, hence, causing you to eat more fatty foods which even further increases calorie intake.
Regular Exercise
Why bother about the calories when you can simply burn it? While this might seem easier to do, exercise is not a particularly a hobby for many.
However, if you’re the exercising type, most of the calories from wines will turn out to be “empty calories”. This is because exercising will get your heart rate up, leading to faster metabolism of those calories and even leave you feeling re-energized thanks to that boost of serotonin.
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Conclusion
Taking random glasses of wine might not hurt even when you’re watching your wine intake.
However, if you’re downing a bottle of wine quite frequently, you might need to watch your intake before it causes some adverse metabolic effects. Find out everything you need to know about the calorie content of various wines in this article.