Blog
Does Wine Get You Drunk
Contents
Does Wine Get You Drunk?
Wine is an alcoholic beverage made from fermented grapes or other fruits. Many people enjoy wine for its flavors and aromas, but an important consideration is – does drinking wine make you drunk? The short answer is yes, wine can cause intoxication if consumed in excess. However, the level of intoxication depends on various factors.
How Alcohol in Wine Causes Drunkenness
All alcoholic beverages contain ethanol, which is the intoxicating chemical that causes drunkenness. Ethanol is produced when yeast ferments the natural sugars in fruit, grains or other ingredients. Most table wines have an alcohol content between 11-15% ABV (alcohol by volume). This means 11-15% of the liquid volume of the wine is alcohol.
As you drink wine, the ethanol is absorbed into your bloodstream through the lining of the stomach and small intestine. The more ethanol you consume, the higher your blood alcohol concentration (BAC) rises. When BAC reaches 0.08% or higher, it causes impairment of motor coordination, speech, balance and judgment – the classic signs of intoxication or drunkenness.
So in short – yes, drinking wine can make you drunk if you consume enough to significantly raise your BAC.
Factors That Influence Wine’s Effects
Several key factors determine whether drinking wine makes you drunk, and if so, how drunk:
1. Amount Consumed
The more wine you drink, the more ethanol builds up in your bloodstream and the higher your BAC rises. BAC levels of 0.08-0.15% result in impairment and intoxication, while BAC above 0.15% causes severe motor impairment and blackouts.
As a rough estimate, for a 150 lb person, consuming:
- 2 glasses of wine over 2 hours = BAC of about 0.04%
- 3 glasses over 3 hours = BAC of 0.06%
- 5 glasses over 5 hours = BAC of 0.12%
However, exact effects vary widely between people based on the other factors below.
2. Alcohol Content
Table wines typically range from 11-15% ABV. Higher alcohol wines like Port or Sherry (16-20%) get you drunk faster than lower alcohol wines like Riesling or Pinot Grigio. Also watch out for high alcohol craft beers and ciders which can contain over 10% alcohol.
3. Body Weight and Gender
Your weight significantly impacts your wine tolerance. Lightweight and female drinkers reach higher BAC levels faster than heavier and male drinkers given the same wine intake. This is because alcohol distributes throughout the water volume of your body – so there is less distribution volume in lighter people.
For example, a 120 lb woman would likely feel drunker than a 200 lb man after drinking 3 glasses of Merlot over 3 hours.
4. Full vs Empty Stomach
Drinking wine on an empty stomach allows rapid absorption of alcohol, resulting in higher peak BAC levels. However, eating food like cheese and meat before or while drinking wine slows down absorption into the bloodstream. The food helps soak up some alcohol.
5. Speed of Drinking
Your BAC continues rising as long as there is undigested alcohol in your stomach and intestines that keeps entering the bloodstream. Downing multiple glasses of wine back-to-back is riskier than slow sipping over hours, giving your liver time to metabolize some alcohol out of your system.
Binge drinking a whole bottle of wine may cause alcohol poisoning requiring emergency medical treatment.
6. Liver Health
Your liver breaks down alcohol at the average rate of one standard drink per hour. Health problems like liver disease slow this metabolic rate, causing alcohol to accumulate faster. On the other hand, regular heavy drinkers may develop more liver enzymes to process alcohol more efficiently.
Signs of Wine Intoxication
Judge if you or someone else is getting drunk or already drunk from wine by looking for these classic signs of alcohol intoxication:
- Impaired balance and motor coordination
- Slurred speech and confusion
- Poor judgment and risky behavior
- Increased friendliness and talkativeness
- Delayed reactions and drowsiness
- Nausea, vomiting or headaches
At very high BAC levels, wine can also cause unconsciousness, breathing suppression, seizures and even death through alcohol poisoning.
Tips for Safer Wine Consumption
You can enjoy wine responsibly and lower risks of intoxication by:
- Having no more than 1-2 glasses of wine per day
- Sipping slowly rather than gulping your wine
- Always eating food before and while drinking wine
- Alternating alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks
- Avoiding high alcohol wines and other spirits
- Planning ahead for safe rides when drinking in a group
The Bottom Line
In summary, wine certainly contains enough alcohol to cause intoxication, impairment in motor skills and decision making when consumed in excess. However, by drinking in moderation, with food, over a longer time period, and accounting for your weight and gender – you can better control alcohol absorption and standard drinks. This allows you to enjoy the pleasant flavors and aromas of wine without overdoing it.
Additional Resources
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism – Drinking Levels Defined
https://www.niaaa.nih.gov/alcohols-effects-health/overview-alcohol-consumption/what-standard-drink
American Addiction Centers – Differences in High Between Men and Women
https://www.alcohol.org/effects/weight-gender/