Wines With The Fewest Calories - A List from Lowest to Highest
For those trying to manage their weight, knowing the calorie content of different wines can be useful.
The number of calories a wine contains is dependent on the alcohol and sugar content. Generally, the higher the alcohol, the higher the calories. This is because alcohol provides 7 calories per gram, compared to carbs and protein, which only provide 4 calories per gram. If a wine is low in alcohol but high in calories, then it is likely to be a sweet wine, high in sugar.
A 5oz glass of wine typically contains between 109-130 calories. A simple trick to find approximately how many calories 5oz of wine contains is to take the percent alcohol and multiply it by 12. Thus, a wine that is 10% alcohol by volume (ABV) will contain about 120 calories per 5oz (150ml) glass. Most adults however, typically consume at least 10oz of wine at a sitting, so double this.
Below is a ranking of wines from lowest to highest. Non-alcoholic wine is easily the lowest in calories, providing just 9 calories in a glass. A light wine at 6.5% ABV provides 73 calories per glass. After that, most wines provide 109-120 calories in a 5oz glass or 220-240 calories in a 10oz serving. Sweet dessert wines tend to have a higher alcohol and sugar content and can pack as many as 236 calories in a single 5oz glass. That is 12% of the total calories you should consume in one day!
A Ranking of Wines by Calories From Lowest to Highest
| Wine | Calories Per 5oz Glass | Percent Alcohol (%ABV) |
|---|---|---|
| #1 Non-Alcoholic Wine | 9 calories (0% DV) | 0% |
| #2 Light (Low-Alcohol) Wine | 73 calories (4% DV) | 6% |
| #3 Carignane | 109 calories (5% DV) | 9% |
| #4 Muller Thurgau (White) | 112 calories (6% DV) | 9% |
| #5 Gamay | 115 calories (6% DV) | 10% |
| #6 Lemberger (Red) | 118 calories (6% DV) | 10% |
| #7 Chenin Blanc (Wine) | 118 calories (6% DV) | 10% |
| #8 Riesling (White) | 118 calories (6% DV) | 10% |
| #9 Gewurztraminer (White) | 119 calories (6% DV) | 10% |
| #10 Pinot Blanc (White) | 119 calories (6% DV) | 11% |
| #11 Sauvignon (White) | 119 calories (6% DV) | 11% |
| #12 Fume Blanc (White) | 121 calories (6% DV) | 11% |
| #13 Pinot Noir (Red) | 121 calories (6% DV) | 10% |
| #14 Semillon (White) | 121 calories (6% DV) | 10% |
| #15 Cabernet Franc (Red) | 122 calories (6% DV) | 11% |
| #16 Cabernet Sauvignon (Red) | 122 calories (6% DV) | 11% |
| #17 Claret (Red) | 122 calories (6% DV) | 10% |
| #18 Merlot (Red) | 122 calories (6% DV) | 11% |
| #19 Pinot Gris (Grigio) (White) | 122 calories (6% DV) | 11% |
| #20 Syrah (Red) | 122 calories (6% DV) | 11% |
| #21 Average Table Wine | 123 calories (6% DV) | 10% |
| #22 Muscat (White) | 123 calories (6% DV) | 9% |
| #23 Chardonnay (White) | 123 calories (6% DV) | 11% |
| #24 Barbera (Red) | 125 calories (6% DV) | 11% |
| #25 Petite Sirah (Red) | 125 calories (6% DV) | 11% |
| #26 Rose | 126 calories (6% DV) | 10% |
| #27 Sangiovese (Red) | 126 calories (6% DV) | 11% |
| #28 Burgundy (Red) | 127 calories (6% DV) | 10% |
| #29 Mouvedre (Red) | 129 calories (6% DV) | 11% |
| #30 Zinfandel (Red) | 129 calories (6% DV) | 11% |
| #31 Dry Dessert Wine | 224 calories (11% DV) | 15% |
| #32 Sweet Dessert Wine | 236 calories (12% DV) | 15% |
About the Data
Data for the curated food lists comes from the USDA Food Data Central Repository.
You can check our data against the USDA by clicking the (Source) link at the bottom of each food listing.
Note: When checking data please be sure the serving sizes are the same. In the rare case you find any difference, please contact us and we will fix it right away.
About Nutrient Targets
Setting targets can provide a guide to healthy eating.
Some of the most popular targets include:- Daily Value (%DV) - The daily value (%DV) is a general guideline for consumption that will prevent deficiency of a particular nutrient in most people. The %DV refers to the percentage of an amount that's found in a single serving of a food. It also accounts for absorption factors. It is set by the U.S. FDA.
- Recommended Dietary Allowance (%RDA) - The RDA sets an average daily dietary intake level that is sufficient to meet the nutrient requirements of nearly all (97.5%) healthy individuals. It's more specific than the daily value, and varies by age and gender. The RDA is set by the US National Instutites of Health.
- Reference Dietary Intake (%RDI) -The reference dietary intake is similar to the recommended daily allowance, but is specific to age and gender. The RDI for amino acids is set by the U.N. World Health Organization.
- Adequate Intake (%AI) - This value is primarily used in reference to omega-3 and omega-6 fats. The Adequate Intake is set by the U.S. Institute of Medicine. Because there is less evidence to determine the ideal targets for consumption of these nutrients, the specific amount is considered to be less reliable. Using the term Adequate Intake, rather than one of the other terms, helps to emphasize that the ideal intake of that particular nutrient has not yet been scientifically determined.
See the Guide to Recommended Daily Intakes for more information.
Want to set your own targets? Sign up for an account and set custom targets in the daily meal planner.From the Nutrient Ranking Tool
Use the ranking tool links below to select foods and create your own food list to share or print.
- Foods High in Calories
- Foods Low in Calories
- Vegetables High in Calories
- Fruits High in Calories
- Vegetarian Foods High in Calories
- Nuts High in Calories
- Grains High in Calories
- Beans High in Calories
- Dairy High in Calories
- Breakfast Cereals High in Calories
- Fast Foods High in Calories
View more nutrients with the nutrient ranking tool, or see ratios with the nutrient ratio tool.
Related
Data Sources and References
Try the recipe nutrition calculator, or daily meal planner.
Create a free account to log and track foods.