Is a glass of wine stronger than a glass of beer?

On average, wine tends to be about 50 percent stronger than most beers. Many factors are involved, including the size of the glass and the type of beer or wine being served. Wine also enters the bloodstream faster than beer , meaning you will feel the effects quicker.

Is wine stronger than regular alcohol?

One standard drink in the United States has roughly 14 grams of pure alcohol. This amount of alcohol can be found in approximately 12 ounces of regular beer, 5 ounces of wine, or 1.5 ounces of distilled spirits . A lot depends on what you drink and how much you consume, but for the most part, one ounce of wine will be stronger than one ounce of beer.

Is there a lot of sugar in wine?

Wine can have a decent amount of sugar, depending on the type of wine, where it was made, and how much you drink. And, the amount of alcohol in wine depends on how much sugar was produced while harvesting. Generally, five ounces of red table wine contains about 0.9 grams of sugar, while the same amount of white table wine contains 1.4 grams of sugar.

Wine Alcohol Content Guide for Every Type of Wine

Did you know that wine alcohol content varies by brand and type of wine? Knowing how much alcohol is in each wine bottle can be beneficial for estimating the wine's flavor profile and, of course, tracking how much alcohol you're consuming. The wine alcohol percentage can also help you know how long your wine will last so you can store your wine appropriately.

Though alcohol content varies from wine to wine, in general, you'll find that sparkling and rosé wines are on the lower end of the spectrum, white wines tend to be in the middle, and red wines tend to have a higher alcohol percentage. We spoke with a wine expert who helped us understand more about the potency of various wines. Here's a guide to wines with very low, moderately low, high, and very high alcohol content. Cheers to whatever style suits you!

Marnie Old is the former director of wine studies at the French Culinary Institute in New York City and co-author of He Said Beer, She Said Wine.

What Is ABV?

Alcohol levels in wine are directly correlated with the amount of sugar that developed in the grapes at harvest time: the higher the sugar levels, the higher the potential alcohol. Higher sugar levels don't mean that higher-alcohol wines are sweeter, though sometimes this is the case. Rather, yeast consumes the sugar and converts it into alcohol during fermentation.

ABV Defined

The degree of alcohol in any given glass of wine is equivalent to its percentage by volume and is often referred to as "ABV" (or alcohol by volume).

Key Factors

There are a few key factors in determining both the sugar content of the grapes and the amount of alcohol in your bottle.

The style (or varietal) of wine.
The climate where the grapes were grown.
The winemaking/fermentation process.

The average glass of wine contains about 11 percent to 13 percent alcohol, but bottles range from as little as 5.5 percent ABV to as much as around 20 percent ABV. By comparison, a standard beer can contains about 5 percent alcohol and a 1 1/2 ounce shot of distilled spirits can contain about 40 percent alcohol.

When tasting wine, you'll notice alcohol comes through as heat in the back of your mouth or throat. A higher ABV wine will taste warmer and bolder, almost like a slight burning sensation on your palate.

Consider a low-alcohol wine if you want to cut back on the amount of alcohol you consume while still enjoying a glass with your meal.

Four glasses of wine in a row on a glass shelf against a light blue wall — Sarah Crowley

Sparkling Wine Alcohol Content

Fizzing with bubbles, sparkling wine refers to any carbonated wine. Though Champagne is probably the most popular, sparkling wine can be white, red, or rosé.

Wine	ABV
Italian Asti	Very Low; under 12.5 percent
Italian Prosecco	Very Low; under 12.5 percent
French Crémant	Very Low; under 12.5 percent
Pétillant Naturel	Very Low; under 12.5 percent
California Sparkling Wine	Moderately Low; 12.5 to 13.5 percent
French Champagne	Moderately Low; 12.5 to 13.5 percent
Spanish Cava	Moderately Low; 12.5 to 13.5 percent
Sekt	Moderately Low; 12.5 to 13.5 percent
Franciacorta	Moderately Low; 12.5 to 13.5 percent

Rosé Wine Alcohol Content

Right in between red and white wine, rosé wine is pink in color. Instead of fermenting for weeks with red grape skins, rosé wine comes into contact with the grape skins for a few hours, giving it a lighter hue.

Wine	ABV
California White Zinfandel	Very Low; under 12.5 percent
Portuguese Rosés	Very Low; under 12.5 percent
French Rosés	Moderately Low; 12.5 to 13.5 percent
Spanish Rosés	Moderately Low; 12.5 to 13.5 percent

White Wine Alcohol Content

Made with white grapes, white wine is not fermented with grape skins. By removing the skins before the fermentation process, less color is transferred to the wine.

Wine	ABV
French Vouvray and Muscadet	Very Low; under 12.5 percent
German Riesling	Very Low; under 12.5 percent
Portuguese Vinho Verde	Very Low; under 12.5 percent
Spanish Txakoli	Very Low; under 12.5 percent
Austrian Grüner Veltliner	Moderately Low; 12.5 to 13.5 percent
Australian Riesling	Moderately Low; 12.5 to 13.5 percent
French Alsace White	Moderately Low; 12.5 to 13.5 percent
French Loire and Bordeaux Whites	Moderately Low; 12.5 to 13.5 percent
French White Burgundy	Moderately Low; 12.5 to 13.5 percent
Italian Pinot Grigio	Moderately Low; 12.5 to 13.5 percent
New York Riesling	Moderately Low; 12.5 to 13.5 percent
New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc	Moderately Low; 12.5 to 13.5 percent
Oregon Pinot Gris	Moderately Low; 12.5 to 13.5 percent
South African Sauvignon Blanc	Moderately Low; 12.5 to 13.5 percent
Spanish Albarino	Moderately Low; 12.5 to 13.5 percent
Australian Chardonnay	High; 13.5 to 14.5 percent
California Chardonnay	High; 13.5 to 14.5 percent
California Pinot Gris	High; 13.5 to 14.5 percent
California Sauvignon Blanc	High; 13.5 to 14.5 percent
California Viognier	High; 13.5 to 14.5 percent
Chilean Chardonnay	High; 13.5 to 14.5 percent
French Sauternes	High; 13.5 to 14.5 percent
South African Chenin Blanc	High; 13.5 to 14.5 percent
French Muscat de Beaumes-de-Venise (fortified)	Very High; more than 14.5 percent
Portuguese Madeira (fortified)	Very High; more than 14.5 percent
Spanish Sherry (fortified)	Very High; more than 14.5 percent

Red Wine Alcohol Content

Unlike white wine, red wine is made with dark-colored grapes, such as red or black. The skin and seeds are left in during fermentation, providing red wine its rich color.

Wine	ABV
French Beaujolais and Burgundy	Moderately Low; 12.5 to 13.5 percent
French Bordeaux	Moderately Low; 12.5 to 13.5 percent
Italian Chianti	Moderately Low; 12.5 to 13.5 percent
Spanish Rioja	Moderately Low; 12.5 to 13.5 percent
Argentine Malbec	High; 13.5 to 14.5 percent
Australian Shiraz	High; 13.5 to 14.5 percent
California Cabernet Sauvignon	High; 13.5 to 14.5 percent
California Pinot Noir	High; 13.5 to 14.5 percent
California Syrah	High; 13.5 to 14.5 percent
Chilean Merlot	High; 13.5 to 14.5 percent
French Rhône Red	High; 13.5 to 14.5 percent
Italian Barolo	High (13.5 to 14.5 Percent)
California Petite Sirah	Very High; more than 14.5 percent
California Zinfandel	Very High; more than 14.5 percent
Italian Amarone	Very High; more than 14.5 percent
Portuguese Port (fortified)	Very High; more than 14.5 percent

Makers are Increasing Wine Alcohol Content

According to experts, the alcohol content of wine has spiked considerably over the years. "There's pressure on winemakers from critics for intense flavors, and that means riper grapes," explains wine expert Marnie Old. "So during the past few years, winemakers have been leaving grapes on the vines well after they would typically be picked, [translating] into fuller-bodied wines and more alcohol."

Thanks to scientific advances in farming, it's now less risky to postpone a harvest. Warmer climates also play a role, so a riesling from California will be much more potent than a traditional one from a cooler region, like Germany.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is a glass of wine stronger than a glass of beer?

On average, wine tends to be about 50 percent stronger than most beers. Many factors are involved, including the size of the glass and the type of beer or wine being served. Wine also enters the bloodstream faster than beer, meaning you will feel the effects quicker.
Is wine stronger than regular alcohol?

One standard drink in the United States has roughly 14 grams of pure alcohol. This amount of alcohol can be found in approximately 12 ounces of regular beer, 5 ounces of wine, or 1.5 ounces of distilled spirits. A lot depends on what you drink and how much you consume, but for the most part, one ounce of wine will be stronger than one ounce of beer.
Is there a lot of sugar in wine?

Wine can have a decent amount of sugar, depending on the type of wine, where it was made, and how much you drink. And, the amount of alcohol in wine depends on how much sugar was produced while harvesting. Generally, five ounces of red table wine contains about 0.9 grams of sugar, while the same amount of white table wine contains 1.4 grams of sugar.

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Sources

Real Simple is committed to using high-quality, reputable sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts in our articles. Read our editorial guidelines to learn more about how we fact check our content for accuracy.

National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. What is a Standard Drink? Date Accessed April 29, 2022.
Paton A. Alcohol in the body. BMJ. 2005 Jan 8;330(7482):85-7. doi: 10.1136/bmj.330.7482.85. PMID: 15637372; PMCID: PMC543875.
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