How many calories are in a glass of wine?

Whether you’re into counting calories or not, it really is important for your health to consider what you are consuming, and that includes your favourite wines.

So, with that in mind, how many calories are there in a glass of wine?

When it comes calculating the total calories in each particular wine, you have to consider important two sources – the alcohol content (Alcohol by Volume – ABV) and sugar content. This really shouldn’t be too much of a surprise – after all, wine is the delicious product of fermented crushed grapes. Responsible for seven calories per gram, alcohol contributes to the most calories in wine, while residual sugar accounts for around four calories per gram. So, generally, the rule is, the higher the alcohol content of a wine, the more calories you will be consuming.

Here in Australia, the measure for a ‘standard drink’ of alcohol is any drink containing 10 grams of alcohol. This measure applies to all types of alcohol including wine with a ‘standard 100ml glass’ containing between 70 to 90 calories. Having said that, the general wine pour in most restaurants, hotels, pubs and clubs is usually 150ml, and sometimes more.

Taking into account both alcohol and sugar content, on average, you can expect sweet and dry dessert wines to be the most calorific, followed by red wines, Rosé, white wines, then Sparkling whites.

How many calories are in a glass of white wine?

From around 11% to 13% alcohol content, white wines have an average of approximately 105 to 118 calories per 150ml glass. This, of course, depends on the varietal and style with some Sparkling wines and Pinot G’s contributing just 90 to 100 calories per glass while Chardonnay has about 118 to 120.

How many calories are in a glass of red wine?

Red wines mostly have a higher alcohol with the average around 13.5% and average calorie count of 115. However, like white wines, this depends on the varietal and style with Pinot Noir at around 12.50% alcohol containing about 106 calories, while Shiraz and Cabernet at 14% have approximately 122 calories.

So, what does each 150ml glass of your favourite wine contribute to your calorific in take?

Check out the listing below to find out the approximate number of calories in some of Australia’s most popular white and red varietals.

Calories in a glass of wine

Varietal/style 150ml	Approx. calories	ABV%
Pinot Gris/Grigio	90	11.50
Sauvignon Blanc	90	11.50
Riesling	101	11.50
Dry Rosé	106	12.50
Sparkling White	103	12
Gewurztraminer	110	11
Semillon	110	11
Chardonnay	118	13.50
Pinot Noir	106	12.50
Cabernet Franc	105	12.50
Sangiovese	110	13
Tempranillo	113	13.50
Merlot	114	13
Grenache	114	13
Malbec	118	14
Cabernet Sauvignon	122	14
Shiraz	122	14

Sharing wine with food, family and friends is one of life’s greatest joys, so when you do, we suggest you do so in moderation with great Australian wines – it’s all about the quality!