We all love a good glass (or bottle) of wine. It can be the perfect summer beverage for any day or night. However like any other alcoholic drink, the calories add up. Many of us are very health conscious and care a lot about what we put into our bodies. For some reason that seems to stop when it comes to wine, but it shouldn’t have to. These are some of the best wines to drink if you’re watching calories and sugar content.
Sparkling Wines ~ 110 calories per flute
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A glass of bubbly seems like the perfect summer drink, but be sure to check the label for a “brut nature” or “brut zero” designation, which signifies that hardly any extra sugar has been added.
While all sparkling wines have a certain amount of sugar, which is necessary for the fermentation process that creates the bubbles, if you’re avoiding sugar stick to brut nature varieties of Champagne, Cava, and sparkling wine from the U.S.
These regions have stricter rules about added sugar than Italy, where prosecco is produced. One five-ounce glass of brut nature Champagne has around 120 calories, compared to around 175 for a sweet Champagne.
Riesling and Pinot Grigio ~ 110 calories per glass
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In general, white wines tend to be lower in alcohol and calories than reds. Light white varieties such as Riesling, pinot grigio, and vino verde have fewer calories than whites with higher ABVs like Moscato, Chardonnay, sauvignon blanc, and viognier.
Rosé ~ 140 calories per glass
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Similar in calorie count to reds, Rosé is a slightly sweeter alternative and your classic summer wine. You obviously can’t go without it, and you don’t need to.
Pinot Noir ~ 150 calories per glass
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While light whites have around 140 calories or less per six-ounce glass, a light red has between 135 to 165 calories, and a red with higher alcohol content can have up to 200 in a glass. If you prefer red wine but don’t want to sacrifice taste for calories, your best bet is pinot noir.