The short answer
A standard 750 ml bottle of 12% wine contains 9 UK units, or about 5 US standard drinks. Stronger wine holds more: a 13.5% bottle is about 10 units and a 15% bottle about 11. You can work it out yourself with the NHS formula: strength (%) × volume (ml) ÷ 1,000 = units. So a bottle at 12.5% is 12.5 × 750 ÷ 1,000 = 9.4 units.
Work it out for your drink
A typical strength is filled in. Check your label.
That is
1.2 US standard drinks
= 2.1 UK units
= 1.7 Irish standard drinks
= 1.2 Canadian standard drinks
Each one is 1.2 × one US standard drink:
Key takeaways
- A 750 ml bottle of 12% wine is 9 UK units, about 5 US standard drinks.
- Each extra 1% of strength adds 0.75 units to a 750 ml bottle.
- The NHS counts a 175 ml glass of 12% wine as 2.1 units and a 250 ml glass as 3 units.
- One bottle is more than half of the NHS weekly guideline of 14 units.
Units in a 750 ml bottle at every common strength
The strength of wine, shown as ABV or % vol on the label, varies more than most people think, and it changes the number of units a lot. We worked out the table below with the NHS formula for UK units and NIAAA's definition of a US standard drink (about 0.6 fl oz of pure alcohol). Figures are rounded to one decimal place.
| Strength (ABV) | UK units per bottle | US standard drinks per bottle |
|---|---|---|
| 11% | 8.3 | 4.6 |
| 12% | 9.0 | 5.1 |
| 12.5% | 9.4 | 5.3 |
| 13% | 9.8 | 5.5 |
| 13.5% | 10.1 | 5.7 |
| 14% | 10.5 | 5.9 |
| 14.5% | 10.9 | 6.1 |
| 15% | 11.3 | 6.3 |
How to work out the units in any bottle
The NHS gives a simple formula: strength (ABV) × volume (ml) ÷ 1,000 = units. One UK unit is 10 ml, or 8 grams, of pure alcohol, which the NHS describes as around the amount the average adult can process in an hour.
For a 750 ml bottle at 13.5%, that is 13.5 × 750 ÷ 1,000 = 10.1 units. For a half bottle (375 ml) at the same strength, halve it: about 5 units. Our standard drink calculator does the sum for any drink and glass, in UK units and US standard drinks.
Units per glass of wine
The NHS counts a standard 175 ml glass of 12% wine as 2.1 units and a large 250 ml glass as 3 units. That means a bottle holds about 4.3 standard glasses or exactly 3 large ones. In the US, NIAAA uses 5 fl oz of 12% wine as one standard drink, which gives about 5 glasses of that size per bottle.
| Glass | 12% wine | 13.5% wine | 15% wine |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small, 125 ml | 1.5 units | 1.7 units | 1.9 units |
| Standard, 175 ml | 2.1 units | 2.4 units | 2.6 units |
| Large, 250 ml | 3.0 units | 3.4 units | 3.8 units |
How a bottle compares with drinking guidelines
The NHS advises men and women not to drink more than 14 units a week on a regular basis, and to spread them over three or more days if they regularly drink that much. A single 750 ml bottle of 12% wine is 9 units, more than half of that weekly figure; a bottle of 14% wine is 10.5 units, three quarters of it.
In US terms, a 12% bottle is about 5 standard drinks. NIAAA defines a binge for women as 4 or more drinks and for men as 5 or more in about two hours, so finishing a bottle in an evening can reach that line. Our page on how many drinks is binge drinking has the full definitions.
Common questions
How many units are in a bottle of 12.5% wine?
A 750 ml bottle at 12.5% contains 9.4 UK units, using the NHS formula: 12.5 × 750 ÷ 1,000. In US terms, it is about 5.3 standard drinks.
How many glasses of wine are in a bottle?
A 750 ml bottle holds about 4.3 standard 175 ml glasses, exactly 3 large 250 ml glasses, or 6 small 125 ml glasses. In US measures, it holds about 5 glasses of 5 fl oz, the size NIAAA uses for one standard drink of 12% wine.
How many calories are in a bottle of wine?
The NHS says a standard 175 ml glass of 12% wine contains up to 158 kcal. Scaling that to a 750 ml bottle gives up to about 680 kcal, by our arithmetic. Our guide to calories in alcohol explains where the calories come from.
When to get help
This site offers self-help tools and information, not medical advice. Talk to a doctor, or call one of the lines below, if:
- you feel shaky, sweaty, sick or anxious when you haven't had a drink;
- you find it hard to stop once you start, or you want to cut down and can't;
- drinking is causing problems with your health, work or the people close to you.
Before you stop: It can be very dangerous to stop drinking suddenly if you are dependent on alcohol. If you get withdrawal symptoms, get medical help before you try to stop drinking.
Free, confidential helplines
- United States:SAMHSA National Helpline1-800-662-HELP (4357)Treatment referral and information, 24/7.
- United States:988 Suicide & Crisis LifelineCall or text 988Free and confidential support for people in distress, 24/7.
- United Kingdom:Drinkline0300 123 1110The national alcohol helpline, free and in complete confidence. Weekdays 9am to 8pm, weekends 11am to 4pm.
In an emergency, call your local emergency number.
Sources
- Alcohol units. NHS. nhs.uk
- What Is A Standard Drink?. National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA). niaaa.nih.gov
- Drinking Levels and Patterns Defined. National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA). niaaa.nih.gov
- Calories in alcohol. NHS. nhs.uk
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