It’s an ugly truth, wine has calories
 Yep it’s terrible. But we have to face fact to help save our waist line! But where do you get the caloric information. The wineries are not required to put in on labels and most of them don’t want to do the complicated tests to calculate it. So are we left to guess? Well you could, but it’s better to think through the chemical composition of wine. Sugar that has been turned to alcohol, and also leaving some behind in the way of “residual sugar”. Hum – sounds like its all carbohydrates.
Take a look at these facts I have found online:
There is no difference in the calories between red or white. Rather you need to pay attention to the alcohol content and the residual sugar content. You can find this information on most wine’s websites under “tech sheet”
Alcohol has a higher caloric value than sugar. Your body treats it differently and unfortunately it likes to place the calories on our waist. Just like the “beer gut” it also could be a “wine gut”.
The higher the alcohol content the higher the calories – for most dry wines. Lighter dry wines like Crisp dry Sauvignon Blancs and Pinot Grigios’ or Shiraz, Rose’ and red zinfandels can be between 85-100 calories per 4oz pour. But the big cabernets, chardonnays with large alcohol contents and some residual sugar that lingers can increase the margins.
Lower alcohol content might have a higher sugar residual (sugar left after fermentation) which makes the wine higher in calories. For instance a Moscato d’Asti may only have 7% Alcohol but the residual sugar will add 10+ calories. And if you think of Port at 18.5 % alcohol by volume and you add in the residual sugar you are looking at over 200 calories per glass.
Champagne even dry “brut” will have above the 100 calorie mark because of the residual sugar left behind.
Why would I publish an article that might discourage wine drinking, because simply I believe an educated drinker is a smarter one. And like everything in life, moderation is best. But remember if you are going to sit down with a glass of wine, maybe skip dessert to offset those calories! Wine can act as an appetite suppressant, so don’t give it up completely just drink smarter – drink dry wines in the 11-14% alcohol range. Limit it to 1-2 glasses, watch your food intake and get some exercise to burn off your indulgences! Life is a series of give and take!
Cheers,
Jill
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