A standard bottle of wine contains 750 milliliters, about 25.4 US fluid ounces. With the standard restaurant pour of 5 ounces (150 ml), that gives about five glasses per bottle.
Glasses per bottle by pour size
- 4-ounce pour (tasting, or with a meal): about 6 glasses.
- 5-ounce pour (standard): about 5 glasses.
- 6-ounce pour (generous home pour): about 4 glasses.
- Dessert wine, usually served in 2 to 3-ounce pours: 8 to 12 glasses.
- Sparkling wine in flutes, often 4 to 5 ounces: about 5 to 6 glasses.
At home, pours are often larger than people think, especially in large modern glasses. A measuring cup and one test pour show what 5 ounces actually looks like in your glasses.
Other bottle sizes
- Half bottle (demi): 375 ml, about 2 to 3 glasses.
- Standard: 750 ml, about 5 glasses.
- Magnum: 1.5 liters, about 10 glasses.
- Double magnum: 3 liters, about 20 glasses.
- Bag-in-box: often 3 liters, the equivalent of four bottles.
What is a standard drink?
In the US, a standard drink contains about 14 grams of pure alcohol. For wine at around 12 percent alcohol, that is 5 ounces. Many wines today are 13.5 to 15 percent alcohol, so a 5-ounce glass of those contains more than one standard drink. The NIH’s National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) explains these equivalents.
Health authorities advise that if adults choose to drink, they do so in moderation, and that drinking less is better for health than drinking more. People who are pregnant, driving, taking certain medications or under 21 should not drink.
How much wine to buy for a party
A common estimate is one bottle for every two guests for an evening dinner party of a few hours, or about one glass per guest per hour. Adjust for your crowd, the length of the event and whether other drinks are served. For a wedding or long party, plan more, and always offer good non-alcoholic options. More on planning is in how to cook for a crowd.
Once the bottle is open
Recork it and keep it in the fridge (red included). Most still wines stay pleasant for 3 to 5 days; sparkling wines lose their bubbles within a day or two even with a stopper.
To serve it properly, see how to hold a wine glass.
