Carbs In Red Wine: Our Guide

It's no secret that wine is a relatively healthier option when it comes to choosing which alcoholic drink to go for.

Beers, cider and various cocktails are all pretty high in carbs, so if you're trying to calorie count whilst also wanting to enjoy a night on the booze, wine is always best to consider.

According to studies, there are around 3.8 grams of carbs and 125 calories in a 147ml glass of red wine. This is certainly lower than most beers, as a pint is estimated to contain roughly 180 calories.

White wine is significantly lower in calories than red, but the two taste entirely different. So, if you want to cut down on calories but red wine is all you have a taste for, don’t worry - wine, in general, is a great choice.

Low Carb Red Wine

If regular red wine isn’t low enough in calories for you to feel satisfied, then you’ll be glad to know that low-carb red wine does actually exist and is easy to get your hands on.

Finding out the calories in things you’ve eaten or drank can be daunting, especially if you’re on a diet. If you want to stick to a keto or low-carb diet but enjoy drinking with friends, then we recommend trying a bottle of low-carb wine from our website.

What is Low Carb Red Wine?

Low-carb red wine is made when the fermentation process is left to continue with no interference, which results in the sugar fermenting into alcohol, making the wine lower in carbs.

During the regular winemaking process, the juice from the grapes that are used to make the wine is mixed with yeast.

This process helps convert naturally occurring sugars into alcohol. Occasionally, winemakers will choose to stop this process, which can often cause there to be sugar left in the end product.

More sugar means more carbs, and if that’s not enough, you’ll be sad to hear that even more additional sugar could be added for those with a sweet tooth.

Why Does Regular Wine Have So Many Carbs?

Regular wine has more carbs due to vintners fermenting the naturally occurring sugars in the grapes with yeast, this is what makes alcohol. However, during this fermentation process, sugar remains in the wine.

This type of sugar is called residual sugar, and ultimately, this substance is what creates the carbs in wine.

Carbs: What Are They?

Carbs basically cause sugar to be stored in the body as fat and raise your blood sugar. Carbs also cause the body to inhibit getting the fat out of cells.

When this process happens, the body responds by releasing insulin into your bloodstream, but when insulin is released, it can have a few actions:

• Insulin makes carbs drive sugar into fat cells to lower blood sugar levels.
• Carbs convert sugar into fat, this helps the body to store energy.
• It’s possible that carbs inhibit the reverse process of converting fat back into sugar in the cells

Breaking Down Carbs In Red Wine

Typically, one glass of red wine contains around two to four carbs, and a full bottle of red contains about 15, depending on what brand you choose to buy. This might sound an awful lot, but it’s nothing compared to beer, which has 18 carbs in one pint.

If you’re not a massive fan of red wine, and only seem to have a glass on occasion or with a meal, then it shouldn’t affect your carb intake massively.

However, if you only like the fruity, warm aromas from a hearty glass of red wine, then you should encourage yourself to try a low-carb version.

Why Should You Try Low Carb Red Wine?

Whether you’re watching your calories closely, putting yourself on a strict diet or wanting to make more health-conscious decisions whenever possible, introducing low-carb wine into your life for when you fancy a drink is a great first step.

Low-carb red wine isn’t just for those on the keto diet, low-carb red wine is friendly to everyone no matter what, and tastes just as delicious.

If you enjoy a glass of red most weekends or like to sit down and relax with family or friends, opting for a low-carb version can be a better option.

If you prefer white wine or rose, you’ll be glad to know we have a full range of both at ThinK. Both our white and rosé wines are low-carb and 100% vegan.

Using Low-Carb Red Wine In Other Beverages

Red wine isn’t for everyone, it’s definitely a taste to get used to. If you only use red wine for the likes of cooking or to use in drinks as an ingredient, then low-carb red wine could still be a great choice and work just as well. The fewer carbs the better, right?

You might be wanting to make small changes in your life, and opting for a low-carb red wine when you buy your next bottle is a great step in the right direction.

What popular drinks have red wine in? Can we use a low-carb version instead?

Low-Carb Red Wine In Sangria

Sangria is a well-known, traditional alcoholic beverage originating from Spain and Portugal. Fruit juice and pieces of orange, strawberry and lemon are added to sangria for extra taste, but it’s no secret that the main ingredient is red wine.

The most popular red wines that are typically used in Sangria are relatively high in carbs. Garnacha (also spelt Grenache in French) is usually grown in both Spain and Southern France and has proven to be everyone's favourite to use in Sangria.

So, can you use low-carb red wine in Sangria and will it taste as nice? Yes, is the simple answer!

A great low-carb wine to use in Sangria is Merlot. Merlot is great for those who have adopted both the keto and paleo diet as it contains a low amount of calories and a reduced amount of carbs.

Pinot Noir is another great low-carb red wine alternative to either Merlot or one high in carbs. But be careful when buying, as it’s only non-burgundy Pinot Noir that is low in carbs.

What To Look Out For When Buying Low-Carb Red Wine

Always look out for a dry red wine. There are many dry red wines available to get your hands on, so it won’t be difficult to find a bottle.

Whether it's white, rosé or red, choosing a dry version will always have lower carbs. But why is dry wine lower in carbs?

Dry Wine

Dry wine doesn’t have an overly sweet taste. Because dry wine isn’t sweet, it’s not as high in sugar compared to other types of wine. If winemakers know a sugary, sweet taste is desired, they will add even more sugar into their product.

As mentioned, more sugar equals more carbs. In the case of dry wine, the fermentation process is left a lot longer than usual, which means all the leftover sugar turns into alcohol. This results in a low-carb product.

Cabinet Sauvignon, Syrah and Malbec are all great dry red wines.

Why Is It Called Dry Wine?

Why is it called dry wine? Let's find out.

When talking about wine, the term dry is referring to the taste it leaves in your mouth. Wine with more sugar will obviously have a sweeter taste, meaning it will leave the opposite feeling in your mouth.

Wine that's below 1% in sweetness is considered dry, but you can also buy semi-dry and semi-sweet wine as well.

The dryness sensation does actually have a name and is known as astringency. This can leave a rough or puckering feeling in your mouth that occurs when tannins and salivary proteins interact, making the inside of your mouth less lubricated.