Wine is typically a moderately strong alcoholic drink, with most regular wines around 11–14% alcohol by volume (ABV), which is stronger than most beers but weaker than spirits like vodka or whisky.
Typical wine strength
Most table wines (red, white, and rosé) fall in the 11–14% ABV range, with many commonly sold bottles sitting around 12–13.5% ABV. This means roughly 11–14% of the liquid is pure alcohol, and the rest is water and other wine components.
Range from light to very strong
Some lighter styles, such as certain sparkling or sweet wines, can be as low as about 5.5–8% ABV, making them relatively mild. At the high end, fortified wines like Port, Sherry, and Madeira are boosted with added spirit and often reach about 16–20% ABV, making them significantly stronger than normal table wine.
How it compares to beer and spirits
Typical beer is around 4–6% ABV, so wine usually has about twice or more the alcohol of beer per milliliter. Spirits such as vodka, gin, or whisky are commonly around 40% ABV or higher, so they are much stronger than wine per milliliter, even though serving sizes are smaller.
Practical drinking impact
Because of its strength, a standard glass of wine can contain several “units” of alcohol, and drinking a full bottle in one sitting usually counts as heavy or binge drinking in health guidelines. To judge how strong a particular wine is, checking the ABV percentage printed on the label is the most reliable method.
