Wine
White wine is not a free pour
“Lighter” in colour is not a medical category. Count the labelled ABV and the millilitres.
- Typical table-white range
- ~11.5–14%
- ~13% ≈ one standard drink
- 100 mL
- 750 mL bottle at 12.5%
- ~7.4
- 150 mL pour at 13%
- ~1.5
White wine uses the same 10-gram standard drink as red. NHMRC’s example of about one standard drink is still 100 mL at about 13%. Many table whites are labelled around 11.5–14% ABV. A 750 mL bottle at 12.5% is about 7.4 standard drinks. A 150 mL pour at 13% is about 1.5 — same as red at that strength.
Definition
White wine. Wine typically fermented without prolonged skin contact from dark grapes, or from pale grapes. Colour does not replace the label.
White versus red — the honest comparison
| Compare | Many table whites | Many table reds |
|---|---|---|
| Typical labelled ABV | Often 11.5–14%. Some aromatic styles sit lower; some sit at 13%+. | Often 13–15%. Overlap is common. |
| NHMRC “about one” | 100 mL at 13% — same published example as red. | 100 mL at 13%. |
| A 750 mL bottle | Still more than seven standard drinks near 13%. | The same formula. |
Questions
Questions people actually ask
Sometimes. Not as a rule. Compare ABV. Plenty of whites are 13% or more.
Pale is not permission
Use the wine hub for bottle maths and the guidelines for the adult numbers. Not drinking is always allowed.