The alcohol content in the wine you drink may be higher than you think.

Did you know that wine alcohol content varies by brand and jot down of wine?

We spoke with a wine expert who helped us understand more about the potency of various wines.

Four glasses of wine in a row on a glass shelf against a light blue wall

Sarah Crowley

Cheers to whatever style suits you!

What Is ABV?

Higher sugar levels don’t mean that higher-alcohol wines are sweeter, though sometimes this is the case.

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Rather, yeast consumes the sugar and converts it into alcohol during fermentation.

Sarah Crowley

Sparkling Wine Alcohol Content

Fizzing with bubbles, sparkling wine refers to any carbonated wine.

Though Champagne is probably the most popular, sparkling wine can be white, red, or rose.

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White Wine Alcohol Content

Made with white grapes, white wine is not fermented with grape skins.

By removing the skins before the fermentation process, less color is transferred to the wine.

The skin and seeds are left in during fermentation, providingred wineits rich color.

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Thanks to scientific advances in farming, it’s now less risky to postpone a harvest.

How Does Alcohol Content Affect the Taste of Wine?

The alcohol content in wine can affect its feel and perceived flavor.

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The wine’s body and feel can also depend on its alcohol content.

A higher ABV wine will taste warmer and bolder, almost like a slight burning sensation on your palate.

Many factors are involved, including the size of the glass and thetype of beeror wine being served.

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Wine also enters the bloodstream faster than beer, meaning you will feel the effects quicker.

One standard drink in the United States has roughly 14 grams of pure alcohol.

And, the amount of alcohol in wine depends on how much sugar was produced while harvesting.

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National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.What is a Standard Drink?Date Accessed April 29, 2022.

2015; 1(4):292-310. https://doi.org/10.3390/beverages1040292

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Alcohol in the body.BMJ.

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2005 Jan 8;330(7482):85-7. doi:10.1136/bmj.330.7482.85.

PMID: 15637372; PMCID: PMC543875.

USDA,FoodData Central.

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Accessed [August 23, 2023].

charcuterie board by French Boards and Bites NY with meats, cheese, olives, grapes, and berries.

Ina Garten

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Raspberry-Mango Ice Cream Cake

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Cherry Gin Rickey

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