So we all love wine for many, many reasons, right? But would we still drink it if it didn’t have alcohol? Do you simply love wine for its taste, smell, or appearance? I hope you have already answered “no” to that question. Of course alcohol is important! But where does it come from?

The basic answer is this: alcohol comes from very ripe grapes. When the grapes are really ripe, there is an extremely high sugar content. When “fermented” (see definition below), sugar turns into alcohol. The longer the grapes are left on the vine, the higher the alcohol content.

Now, you might not be interested in falling completely in love with wine (and if you do, we will NOT judge you) and that’s fine. In fact, that’s one of the reasons so many people enjoy it! Most wines have a relatively moderate alcohol content, ranging from 10-15% by volume. As a general rule of thumb, the average store bought white wine will not exceed 14%. But if you’re looking for a full-bodied red, there are some (Port, California Zinfandel, or Sirah, for example) that have a significantly higher alcohol content. As a result, you can take a sip of wine for quite a long time and not negatively affect your business dinner or have in-laws judging you when you pour your second glass.

So what exactly is the “right” serving size for a glass of your favorite wine? Unfortunately, it is quite small … Approximately 5 oz. And when was the last time any of us had just a 5-ounce glass of wine? But, if you are in a very expensive restaurant, they will probably serve you the standard 5 oz portion (and then charge you around $ 20 for it). Chances are, serving an average 12% alcohol by volume won’t drive you crazy enough to dance at the table. However, if you are at home, be aware that the size of your glass can cause it to spill excessively quickly. If you feel compelled to fill your giant glass ¾ completely, opt for a very light white like a German Riesling, a California white Zinfandel, or an Italian Pinot Grigio. The bottom line is this: as much as we love wine for a variety of different reasons, it is still an alcoholic beverage. And the more often we drink it, the more we forget it. So if you feel like you need to cut back on your wine consumption, check the alcohol content clearly listed on the bottle, serve a smaller serving, or I guess you can always open a wine cooler! Health!

FERMENTATION: (the chemical reaction in which a ferment causes an organic molecule to divide into simpler substances, especially the anaerobic conversion of sugar to ethyl alcohol by yeast).