Wine Alcohol Content, From Lowest to Highest

Four glasses of wine on a glass shelf with a teal background — Photo:
Sarah Crowley

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). 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. This doesn'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. The style (or varietal) of wine, the climate where the grapes were grown, and the winemaking/fermentation process are all key factors in determining both the sugar content of the grapes and the amount of alcohol in your bottle.

The average glass of wine contains about 11 percent to 13 percent alcohol, but bottles range from as little as 5.5 percent alcohol by volume to as much as around 20 percent ABV. 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.

It May Be Higher Than You Think

According to experts, the alcohol content of wine has spiked considerably in recent years. "There's pressure on winemakers from critics for intense flavors, and that means riper grapes," explains Marnie Old, former director of wine studies at the French Culinary Institute in New York City and co-author of He Said Beer, She Said Wine. "So during the past few years, winemakers have been leaving grapes on the vines well after they would typically be picked, and that translates 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 is going to be much more potent than a traditional one from a cooler climate, like Germany.

Knowing how much alcohol you're imbibing is useful information. Here's a guide to wines with very low, moderately low, high, and very high alcohol content. Cheers to whatever style suits you!

Sparkling Wine Alcohol Content

Wine	ABV
Italian Asti	Very Low; under 12.5 percent
Italian Prosecco	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

Rosé Alcohol Content

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

RELATED: Orange Wine is the New Rosé

White Wine Alcohol Content

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

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

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