How many calories are in wine?

wine glass and wine bottle.
Just how many calories are lurking in your favorite glass of Shiraz? See our collection of wine pictures.­
iStockphoto/Kirby Hamilton

­Wine can be a great addition to a nice meal, a friendly gathering or a quiet night at home. There are wines ­that are produced specifically to enhance and bring out the flavor of your favorite foods. And there's scientific research that suggests there are medical benefits to consuming moderated amounts of wine. But just because drinking wine could be healthy doesn't mean you have a free pass to indulge -- in particular if you're dieting. The calories in beverages, especi­ally those containing alcohol, can really add up.

Here's a list of wine categories with an estimate as to how many calories you can expect to find in one bottle, 750 ml (25.4 fluid ounces), of wine unless otherwise marked:

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  • Spritzer (1 cocktail) - 20 calories (85 kJ)
  • White, Dry - 470 (1970 kJ)
  • Red - 500 (2100 kJ)
  • Sake Rice Wine - 500 (2100 kJ)
  • Rose - 510 (2140 kJ)
  • Cooler (1 liter) - 520 (2200 kJ)
  • White, Sweet - 530 (2220 kJ)
  • Champagne - 530 (2220 kJ)
  • Table - 560 (2360 kJ)
  • White, Sparkling - 590 (2470 kJ)
  • Sherry, Dry - 780 (3225 kJ)
  • Vermouth - 825 (3410 kJ)
  • Sherry, Sweet - 1050 (4350 kJ)
  • Port, Muscatel - 1115 (4670 kJ) [source: Calorie King, Weight Loss For All]

­Wines such as Port, Sherry and Vermouth are the highest in calorie count. But as a rule, when served properly, these varieties will be ­served in smaller glasses than a standard wine glass [source: Stevens]. With other wines, the actual amount of calories you consume really depends on the size of the glass you're using, which will dictate the actual serving size. As stated above, a typical bottle holds a little more than 25 fluid ounces of wine. So, if you are using 4-ounce size glasses, one bottle will contain six servings. If you're using larger glasses, such as 6-ounce size glasses, one bottle will contain four servings. With this in mind, you can then calculate your calories per serving -- for example, a glass of red wine could be either 100 or 125 calories.

If you're concerned with the nutritional values associated with wine or you're on a diet, you might want to look beyond the calorie count. Consider this -- a 5-ounce serving of champagne contains approximately 40 milligrams of sodium and 2.7 grams of carbohydrates.

To learn more about wine and related topics, visit the links on the next page.

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Sources

  • Calorie King. "Calories in Wine." (Accessed 02/01/2009) http://www.calorieking.com.au/foods/search.php?keywords=wine&showresults=true&partner=hwf
  • Stevens, Alison. "How Many Calories Are There in Wine?" Buzzle Articles. January 1, 2008. (Accessed 02/01/009) http://www.buzzle.com/articles/how-many-calories-are-there-in-wine.html
  • Weight Loss for All. "How many calories in wine?" (Accessed 02/01/2009) http://www.weightlossforall.com/calories_wine.htm

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