How many units and calories are in a bottle of wine?

 
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What has ABV got to do with it? Find out more about the number of units in a bottle of wine.

A bottle of wine contains the equivalent of three large glasses of wine - that’s around 9 units.

To figure out just how many units are in your bottle of wine, you first need to know the Alcohol By Volume (ABV). This will be printed on the bottles’ label, and if you’re out and about, the ABV% is generally included on the wine list.

Watch out for higher ABV% wines - some red and dessert wines can be as high as 17% ABV. Fortified wine such as port and sherry is higher still, sitting at around 20%. There are also lots of wine varieties, such as Muscadel & Pinot Grigio, that are naturally lighter in alcohol - so keep your eyes peeled for them when you buy your next bottle.

You can work out how many units there are in a bottle of wine by using the formula below:
(ABV x ml) ÷ 1000 = units

For example, to work out the number of units in a large, 250ml glass of 13% ABV wine:
13 (ABV) x 250 (ml) ÷ 1000 = 3.25 units

Wine by the bottle unit guide
1x bottle (750ml) of 10% Wine = 7.5 Units
1x bottle (750ml) of 12% Wine = 9 Units
1x bottle (750ml) of 13% Wine = 9.75 Units
1x bottle (750ml) of 20% Port or Sherry = 15 Units

The recommended weekly alcohol limit in the UK for men and women is 14 units, which is the same as around one and a half bottles of 12% ABV wine.

Find out more about units in sparkling wine.

wine-oclock

Wine o’clock? Swap your glass of wine for a gym class…

  • With around seven calories per gram, alcohol contains almost the same calories as pure fat - so drinking too much wine can lead to weight gain and start to affect how you look and feel.

  • Another important reason why alcohol leads to weight gain is its ability to increase appetite – and not for salad! We tend to reach for salty, fatty food when we’re drinking.

  • Alcoholic drinks are often referred to as containing “empty” calories. This means that they provide your body with calories but very little nutrients. A night out with several drinks can lead to consuming a few hundred extra calories.

There are 678 calories in the average bottle of wine - time to get your running shoes on!

A man needs around 2,500 calories a day to maintain his weight. For a woman, that figure is around 2,000 calories. These values can vary depending on age, metabolism and levels of physical activity, among other things.

How can I reduce the amount of wine that I’m drinking?

  • Go shopping…
    Stock the fridge with soft and low-alcohol alternatives so you don’t feel like you’re missing out.

  • Take a day (or two) off…
    Make sure you include some ‘zero-alcohol’ days in your week

  • Track your drinks
    Recording how much you drink, and seeing a picture build over time can really help you to focus on your goal to cut down. Our free DrinkCoach app features a drink tracker tool, as well as 7 day summaries and an export feature where you can see how your drinking looks over selected time periods.

Any more than 1.5 bottles of 12% ABV wine in a week will put you over the low risk drinking guidelines.

Any more than 1.5 bottles of 12% ABV wine in a week will put you over the low risk drinking guidelines.

Risky business…

Understanding the low risk drinking guidelines in relation to wine.

Low risk drinking guidelines advise that both men and women should not regularly drink more than 14 units a week. BUT don’t ‘save up’ your 14 units, it’s best that they are spread out over the week so you don’t binge.

If you regularly drink over these guidelines, you are increasing your chances of developing health conditions in both the short and long term.

Any more than 1.5 bottles of 12% ABV wine in a week will put you over the low risk drinking guidelines.