How Many Calories in a Glass of Wine?
March 21, 2011I recently spoke at a Chamber of Commerce event here in Jacksonville Florida, covering topics ranging from sulfites in wine, all the way through to the perceived health benefits of a glass of vino.
On a side-note, I’ve really started to enjoy public speaking. It has always been one of those things that I steered clear of, but as I start to do more speeches I do think I’m getting better.
As a youngster I always favored myself as a stand-up comedian, so I like to throw a little light-hearted “wine comedy” into the mix (yes there is such a thing). That combined with the English accent I hope is enough to keep people from falling asleep!
During the short Q & A at the end of talk, I was asked a question regarding calories in wine i.e. how many per glass?
Since I didn’t know the EXACT calorie count per each style of wine, (even if I did I wasn’t about to recite all the numbers contained within the table that is about to follow), my answer on the day was something along the lines of, “…when it comes to calories in wine the drier the better. Stay away from the really sweet stuff, but my best advice is to drink what you like within moderation.”
My answer was clearly short and to-the-point, but I thought the topic warranted a post on this site for those looking for a deeper insight into calorie / carb counts in wine.
The below table is one of the better examples I have found on the Information Super Highway, even if the “Red Zinfandel (a type of rose)” category name is a little misleading. It’s also worth noting that even though the numbers point towards white wines being the healthiest (in calorie and carb counts), it’s red wines where the true benefits of wine consumption are gained.
Chart courtesy of HealthCastle.com
The main facts from this table:
– White wines average around 120 calories per glass, yet vary in carbs and alcohol content more than red wines.
– Red wines contain slightly higher calories than white wines.
– Red wines average 3.77 carbs per 5 oz glass.
– Rose wines jump slightly in calorie and carb counts (although this survey only measures White Zin, and I’m thinking a lower calorie / carb count would be seen in drier styles of rose).
– Late harvest dessert-style wines see a dramatic increase in calories and alcohol content.
– Sparkling wines have reduced calorie and carb levels compared to the red and white wines.
– Fortified wines are the highest in calorie, carb, and alcohol contents.
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