Whether you’re following a particular diet or simply keeping an eye on what you drink, you want to know how many calories are in a glass of wine. First, it’s worth stressing that the answer varies a lot depending on the wine. Some wines are more calorific than others because of their sugar content. Broadly speaking, a glass of wine contains between 80 and 100 calories. Either way, one thing is certain: enjoy yourself, but always in moderation!
How many calories in a glass of wine?
First off, wine is a naturally calorific alcohol. There’s actually a calculation that gives you, roughly, the number of calories in a glass of wine. That said, the calorie content depends on the type of wine you’re drinking. For example, a glass of sweet white wine is naturally more calorific than other glasses of wine. The calories in a glass can be a good argument for choosing your wine.
Standard scale for the calories in a glass of wine
You can work out the calories in a glass of wine. There’s a simple calculation to figure out how many calories are in a glass of wine, taken as 1/6 of the bottle.
If your glass is properly measured, there are as many grams of alcohol in a glass as the alcohol percentage shown on the label. So for a wine at 12 degrees, you’ll find around 12 grams of alcohol in a glass of wine. The rest of the calculation is simple: multiply that figure by 1.8 to get the sugars in the glass. In our example, then, you do the following: 12 x 1.8. That gives 21.6 grams of sugar in this glass. One gram of sugar equals 3.87 calories. In the end, the glass of wine contains 83.5 calories!
Finally, we should note the presence of residual sugars. The calories in a glass of wine aren’t the same depending on the type of wine. That’s what we’ll go into together in the next section.
Calories by type of wine
The calories in a wine glass vary depending on the type of wine you’re drinking. The calories in a glass of champagne aren’t the same as the calories in a glass of rosé. In the same way, the calorie content of red wines differs from that of white wines. There are more calories in red wine.
Calories in sparkling wines and champagnes
To start, the sparkling wine and champagne category holds the wines with the fewest calories. To avoid taking in too many calories, go for these wines. In numbers, a 100 mL glass of champagne contains 80 calories. That makes it the wine with the fewest calories. Pét-nat is also low in calories.
Calories in a glass of dry white wine
Next, dry white wine also contains very few calories, close to champagne on that front. 100 mL of dry white wine works out to 86 calories. So the low calorie content of a dry white, from Burgundy, Loire, or Alsace, is an excellent excuse to enjoy it. Go ahead and pour that glass of white with a Sancerre, a Vouvray, or a Muscadet. A wine will never be ideal for a diet, but a glass of dry white won’t do too much damage.
Calories in a glass of rosé wine
You’ve worked hard for that perfect beach body. Don’t worry: rosé will help you keep it. With 86 calories in a glass of rosé (100 mL), it’s one of the least calorific wines. Often served as an aperitif, just watch out for the calories in a glass of rosé if you pair it with crisps and other junk!
Calories in a glass of red wine
On the red wine side, the calorie tally starts to climb. Around 89 calories are present in 100 mL of red wine. That makes red wine the wine with the highest calorie content before the sweet wines. Don’t feel too guilty about it, though: the calories in red wine will also bring you some happiness!
Calories in a glass of sweet wine
If you’re on a diet, say goodbye to these wines. Sweet white wines have 100 calories per 100 mL: you might as well give up on your figure right away. Among these wines, you’ll find Sauternes or Monbazillac. As for Muscat or Banyuls, count on 150 calories for the same quantity. There’s no point dwelling on it: if you’re reading this article, you’ve already given up on these wines, their calorie content is so high. !calories in a glass of wine
How much sugar in a glass of wine?
A glass of wine is 1/6 of a bottle. The sugar in a glass of wine varies depending on the wine. As we’ve seen, a glass of sweet wine contains more sugar than a dry wine. So count on between 23 and 42 grams of sugar per glass of wine.
Inter Wine & Dine compiled these figures into a table. Here are the key takeaways, the number of grams of sugar in a glass of wine:
- Glass of dry wine: 24.3 grams of sugar
- Glass of medium-sweet wine: 30 grams of sugar
- Glass of champagne: 23.5 grams of sugar
- Glass of sweet wine: 42.4 grams of sugar
Naturally, these figures can vary depending on the wine’s alcohol level. The higher that level, the more sugar there is.
Finally, it’s easy to see that this sugar affects the calories in a glass of wine. The more sugar a wine contains, the higher its calorie content.
How many calories in a glass of alcohol-free wine?
First, alcohol-free wine generally contains a tiny amount of alcohol (which can still reach 7%). So a glass of alcohol-free wine has half as many calories as a glass of normal wine. That said, we’re not sure the taste of these wines can satisfy the enthusiasts you are. One thing is certain: we won’t be risking it.
The calories in a glass of mulled wine
Even though it’s heated and mixed with other ingredients, mulled wine, that winter cold remedy, still has a fair few calories. Count on 106 calories per 100 mL of mulled wine. As you’ll have gathered, a glass of mulled wine is one of the wine-based drinks with the most calories.
Comparing the calories in other alcohols
So now you know how many calories you’ll find in a glass of wine. Now let’s compare the calories in a glass of wine with the calories in other alcohols.
Calories in a glass of wine vs calories in a glass of beer
First, beer is one of the most calorific alcohols. The calories in a glass of beer far exceed the calories in a glass of wine. For a half-pint of beer, count on between 110 calories for a dark beer and 130 calories for a lager. The worst thing you can do, of course, is to mix beer with a cordial. A half-pint of picon beer contains around 140 calories. !glass of beer vs glass of wine - calories So even if it’s no excuse, tell yourself that a glass of wine has fewer calories than a half-pint of beer: that’s always something!
Calories in a glass of wine vs calories in a glass of whisky
To start, whisky is one of the alcohols with the fewest calories. A glass of whisky contains around 70 calories. So a glass of whisky has far fewer calories than a glass of wine. Whisky is also one of the alcohols with the fewest carbohydrates. So in the dietary battle, at least from a calorie standpoint, the glass of whisky beats the glass of wine. !glass of whisky vs glass of wine - calories
Which alcohol has the fewest calories?
If you’re on a diet, you’re probably wondering which alcohol has the fewest calories. Here, you have two main choices. On one hand, you can opt for a glass of pastis (as long as there’s enough water in it). A glass of pastis lets you keep it to 69 calories. On the other hand, you can go for a dry white wine. The calories in a glass of dry white are few compared to other alcohols.
Alternatively, if you want an alcohol very low in sugar, you can turn to brandy, tequila, rum, or vodka. All of these alcohols contain no sugar at all (0 grams of carbohydrate). If you want more information on these alcohols, alcohol-support services can help.
Comparison table of calories in alcohol
Finally, the table below helps you understand the number of calories per glass of alcohol. Using standard measures, it lets you compare your different drinks and their calorie content.
| Alcohol | Calories |
|---|---|
| Glass of champagne | 70 - 80 calories |
| Glass of wine | 80 - 100 calories |
| Glass of sweet wine | 100 - 110 calories |
| Glass of Martini | 112 calories |
| Glass of beer | 110 - 130 calories |
| Glass of whisky | 69 calories |
| Glass of cognac | 70 calories |
| Glass of port | 90 calories |
| Glass of tequila | 80 calories |
| Glass of pastis | 55 calories |
| Glass of gin | 99 calories |
| Glass of cider | 80 calories |
| Glass of eau de vie | 110 calories |
| Glass of Coke (for comparison) | 130 calories |
