Rosé wine
Find out how many units and calories are in a glass of rosé wine
A glass of rosé wine might have more alcohol and calories in it than you would expect.
A typical-strength medium (175ml) glass of rosé wine has around 2.3 units of alcohol. So, over a week, drinking more than six glasses of rosé wine in total would put you above the UK Chief Medical Officers' (CMO) low risk drinking guidelines, of drinking less than 14 units a week.
Keeping an eye on how much you drink, and staying within the low-risk guidelines, has clear benefits for your long-term health. It could lower your blood pressure and reduce your risk of long-term health problems, including at least seven types of cancer, or liver or heart disease.
Track your drinking. Try the free MyDrinkaware app
Cutting down on drinking can benefit your waistline too. Alcohol contains almost as many calories as pure fat (around seven calories a gram).
How much alcohol is in rosé wine?
It’s easy to see how much alcohol is in any rosé wine - just look out for the Alcohol by Volume (ABV) which you’ll find on the label, or ask at the bar.
The ABV tells you what percentage of the rosé wine is alcohol. The higher the ABV, the more alcohol is in the drink and the stronger it is - for example, a 13% ABV rosé wine contains 13% pure alcohol.
Rosé wine’s typical strength means drinking two large glasses in one session could mean you’re consuming six and a half units of alcohol, so could be classed as ‘binge drinking’ (more than six units of alcohol for a woman, or eight for a man).1
Research shows that binge drinking (between 5-7 units) increases your risk of accidents and injuries by two to five times.2
Drinking too much? Find out with our confidential Drinking Check
How many calories are in rosé wine?
All alcohol – including the alcohol found in rosé wines like Grenache, Syrah, Zinfandel or any other type - is made from natural starch and sugar. There are 138 calories in a typical 175ml glass of rosé wine3 – the same number you would find in three jaffa cakes. That means that, over time, drinking too much can lead to weight gain and start to affect your appearance.
What’s more, because calories from alcohol are 'empty calories', meaning they have no nutritional value, they don’t benefit our bodies in any way.
An easy way to cut your calorie intake from rosé wine is to choose a non-alcoholic alternative, a lower strength or, if you’re having more than one glass, alternating between rosé wine and water.
Calories in typical rosé wine
175ml
contains up to 138 calories
250ml
up to 197 calories
Bottle
up to 591 calories
Does rosé wine have more alcohol or calories than other types of wine?
Different types of wine – whether red, white, rosé or sparkling (like prosecco or champagne) – can vary a lot. They are typically around 11-14% ABV, although some can be as high as 14.5% ABV. The only way to be sure is to check the label.
Choosing lower strength can be a great way to cut out unnecessary alcohol and calories. And there are more ‘reduced alcohol’ wines available than ever before, in supermarkets and pubs. A ‘reduced alcohol’ rosé wine could be around 5.5% ABV (remember to check the label) – so would cut your alcohol consumption in half compared to an equivalent size glass of full-strength wine.
Even better for reducing your alcohol intake would be a ‘low alcohol’ rosé wine. These aren’t allowed to be more than 1.2% ABV,4 and many are around 0.5% ABV.
Tips to reduce the amount of rosé wine you drink
If you’re thinking about cutting the amount of rosé wine you drink to improve your health or appearance, you can do it with Drinkaware. Great ways to start are:
Tackle your triggers
If you always have a glass of white wine to celebrate a good day at work, or commiserate a bad one, try doing something else instead. An alcohol-free dinner out makes for a feel-good treat, while a gym session is a great way to relieve stress.
Take the Drinking Check quiz
There’s often an excuse to have a drink, but it can all start to add up. Taking more drink-free days each week is an easy way to cut back and improve your health. Take our Drinking Check quiz to discover your drinking risk level, and create an action plan to reduce your drinking.
Keep track of your drinking
If you choose to drink, recording exactly what you’ve drunk during the week will tell you whether you're keeping within the unit guidelines.
Our free MyDrinkaware app is perfect for tracking your drinks when you’re out and about.
Alternate with soft drinks
Soft options don't have to be dull. If you've got guests, non-alcoholic mocktails can be a great fruity alternative to rosé.
Ask for a smaller glass
Licensed premises that sell wine by the glass have to offer it in 125ml and 175ml glasses too, as well as the larger 250ml glasses.5
And if you're drinking wine at home, a unit measuring cup can make sure you don't accidentally pour more than you mean to.
Buddy up
If you find yourself regularly sharing a bottle of wine with your partner, working together to cut back can be a really motivating way of achieving your goals.
Further advice and information
Arming yourself with strategies and tips can help you or a loved one take small steps towards big results.
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References
Last Reviewed: 8th March 2023
Next Review due: 1st July 2025