How many units in a glass of wine?
The UK unit count for any pour, from glass size and ABV, using the NHS formula.
A medium 175 ml glass of 12% wine is 2.1 UK units. A small 125 ml glass is 1.5 units, and a large 250 ml glass is 3 units — a third of a bottle in one pour.
There is no single answer to how many units are in a glass of
wine, because "a glass" isn't a fixed measure. UK bars pour
125 ml, 175 ml and 250 ml, and the same glass of a 14% red carries
noticeably more alcohol than a 11% white. A UK unit is fixed at 10 mL
(8 g) of pure alcohol, so the sum is
volume × ABV ÷ 1000. Change either input above for your
own pour.
| Glass | 11% | 12% | 13% | 14% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Small, 125 mL | 1.4 | 1.5 | 1.6 | 1.8 |
| Medium, 175 mL | 1.9 | 2.1 | 2.3 | 2.5 |
| Large, 250 mL | 2.8 | 3.0 | 3.3 | 3.5 |
Why the pour size matters more than the wine
Moving from a small glass to a large one roughly doubles the alcohol, while moving from an 11% wine to a 14% one adds only about a quarter. If you are trying to drink less, changing glass size is the bigger lever, and it is the one nobody thinks about because the menu price often barely changes between medium and large.
It also explains why home pours drift. A 250 ml pour is a third of the bottle, so three generous glasses empties it, and three glasses rarely feels like "a bottle of wine". UK licensed premises must offer the 125 ml measure if you ask for it, though it is seldom listed on the board.
Glasses against the weekly guideline
The UK Chief Medical Officers advise no more than 14 units a week. That works out to roughly just under seven medium 175 ml glasses of 12% wine, or a little over four large 250 ml glasses of 13%. The same guidance suggests spreading those units over three or more days and keeping several drink-free days each week, so four large glasses in one evening is a different risk profile from four spread across the week.
Counting whole bottles instead? The units in a bottle of wine page runs the same math at bottle scale.
How this calculator works
The math: units = volume (mL) × ABV ÷ 1000. A "unit" here is the UK unit, defined by the NHS as 10 mL or 8 g of pure alcohol. The weekly-share figure compares the total against the UK Chief Medical Officers' 14-unit low-risk guideline, which is a guideline, not a threshold below which drinking carries no risk.
Full formulas and citations live on the methodology page.
Units in a glass of wine: questions people ask
Is a glass of wine 2 units?
Roughly, if it is a medium 175 mL pour: a 175 mL glass of 12% wine is 2.1 units. But a large 250 mL glass of 13% wine is 3.3 units, over half as much again, and large is a common pub default. The pour size matters more than most people expect.
How many glasses of wine is 14 units?
About just under seven medium 175 mL glasses of 12% wine, or a little over four large 250 mL glasses of 13% wine. That is the entire UK weekly low-risk guideline, which the guidance suggests spreading over three or more days.
What size is a standard glass of wine in the UK?
UK licensed premises serve wine in 125 mL, 175 mL and 250 mL measures, and must offer the smallest if asked. The 175 mL medium glass is the most common default. Pours at home are typically larger and rarely measured.
How many units in a large glass of wine?
A large 250 mL glass is 3 units at 12% ABV, 3.3 units at 13%, and 3.5 units at 14%. That single glass is a third of a standard bottle and around a quarter of the 14-unit weekly guideline.
Is a glass of wine the same as a US standard drink?
No. A UK unit is 8 g of pure alcohol; a US standard drink is 14 g, and the US "standard" pour is 5 fl oz (148 mL) at 12%. That US glass is one standard drink but 1.8 UK units. Use the standard drinks calculator for the US figure.