Sugar in Red Wine: How Much Is in a Bottle + Lowest-Sugar Reds
The sugar in red wine averages about 0.9 grams per 5 oz glass and roughly 4.6 grams in a 750 ml bottle, based on USDA lab data for red table wine. Dry Cabernet Sauvignon can measure lower still. Sweet reds are another matter: a bottle of Lambrusco Amabile carries over 30 grams. (Source: USDA SR28, Beverages report)
Further reading
- Compare red wine calories by style.
- Find low-sugar wines to try.
- Explore red wine styles.
Sugar in red wine: key takeaways
- Per bottle: about 4.6 g of sugar in 750 ml of average red table wine (our calculation from USDA's 0.62 g per 100 g).
- Per glass: about 0.9 g in a 5 oz (147 g) pour, the same figure USDA lists for Merlot.
- Lowest-sugar reds: dry Cabernet Sauvignon tech sheets we checked show 1.5 to 2.4 g per liter, or under half a gram per glass.
- Sweet reds: Lambrusco Amabile (42 to 48 g/L), Brachetto d'Acqui (100 g/L) and sweet Port (85 to 130 g/L) are where the sugar is.
- Labels: US wine labels don't have to show sugar or nutrition facts, so tech sheets and EU sweetness terms are the best guides.
How much sugar is in a bottle of red wine?
A 750 ml bottle of typical red table wine contains about 4.6 grams of sugar. That is our calculation from USDA's composite red wine entry, which lists 0.62 g of sugars per 100 g, or 0.92 g in a 5 fl oz (147 g) serving. (Source: USDA SR28, NDB 14096)
That average hides a wide range. A bone-dry Napa Cabernet can hold close to 1 gram per bottle, while a sweet sparkling red like Brachetto d'Acqui holds about 75 grams. The table below converts each producer's grams-per-liter figure into a glass and a bottle so you can compare like with like.
| Wine (source, date) | Sugar g/L | Per 5 oz glass (calc.) | Per 750 ml bottle (calc.) |
|---|---|---|---|
| USDA composite red table wine (SR28) | about 6* | 0.9 | 4.6 |
| USDA Merlot (SR28) | about 6* | 0.9 | 4.6 |
| Rutherford Ranch Napa Cabernet 2022 (tech sheet, 2026) | 1.5 | 0.2 | 1.1 |
| Arboleda Cabernet Sauvignon 2022 (tech sheet, 2024) | 2.39 | 0.4 | 1.8 |
| EU "dry" still-wine ceiling (Reg. 2019/33) | 4 | 0.6 | 3.0 |
| Apothic Red 2023 (Alko listing) | 12 | 1.8 | 9.0 |
| Riunite Reggiano Lambrusco DOC Amabile (producer) | 42 | 6.2 | 31.5 |
| Riunite Lambrusco Emilia IGT Amabile (producer) | 48 | 7.1 | 36.0 |
| Banfi Rosa Regale Brachetto d'Acqui 2026 sheet | 100 | 14.8 | 75.0 |
Sources for the table: USDA SR28, Rutherford Ranch 2022 Cabernet tech sheet, Arboleda 2022 Cabernet tech sheet, Regulation (EU) 2019/33, Annex III, Alko, Apothic Red Blend 2023, Riunite Reggiano Lambrusco Amabile, Riunite Lambrusco Emilia Amabile and Banfi Rosa Regale 2026 sheet. Tech sheets are vintage-specific, so a new vintage can read differently.
Which red wine has the least sugar?
Dry reds made to finish fully fermented have the least sugar. Of the bottles above, Rutherford Ranch's 2022 Napa Cabernet is lowest at 1.5 g/L, about 0.2 g per glass. Arboleda's 2022 Chilean Cabernet is close behind at 2.39 g/L. (Source: Rutherford Ranch tech sheet)
No grape is low-sugar by definition. Sugar depends on how the winemaker finishes the wine, not on the variety. Your best shortcut is a producer tech sheet that lists residual sugar, or, on European bottles, the word "dry" (trocken, sec, secco), which caps still wine at 4 g/L in most cases. (Source: Reg. (EU) 2019/33, Annex III Part B)
Low-sugar red wine: what to look for
- A residual sugar figure under 4 g/L on the tech sheet (under 0.6 g per glass).
- "Dry" or its local equivalent on a European label.
- Caution with words like amabile, dolce, doux, "smooth" or "sweet red": the Apothic Red listing shows 12 g/L, three times the EU dry ceiling. (Source: Alko)
For more options, see our guides to low-sugar wine and keto-friendly wine.
Is red wine high in sugar?
Dry red wine is not high in sugar. USDA's average of 0.92 g per glass is lower than its figure for white table wine, 1.41 g per 5 oz. (Source: USDA SR28, NDB 14096 and 14106) Most of a red wine's calories come from alcohol, not sugar.
Sweet and fortified reds are the exception. A 3 oz pour of sweet Port at 85 to 130 g/L holds roughly 7.6 to 11.6 g of sugar by our calculation, more than a whole bottle of average dry red.
Merlot sugar content
USDA lists Merlot at 0.62 g of sugars per 100 g, which is 0.92 g in a 5 oz glass and about 4.6 g per bottle (calculated).
Merlot is the only red variety in the USDA report with a sugar value, and it matches the red-wine composite. A Merlot serving has 122 calories and 3.69 g of carbohydrate. (Source: USDA SR28, NDB 14602)
Cabernet Sauvignon sugar content
USDA gives Cabernet Sauvignon 122 calories and 3.83 g of carbohydrate per 5 oz but leaves the sugar value blank. (Source: USDA SR28, NDB 14097)
Producer sheets fill the gap: 1.5 g/L for Rutherford Ranch 2022 and 2.39 g/L for Arboleda 2022, both well inside the EU "dry" band. (Source: Arboleda tech sheet) Our Cabernet Sauvignon calories guide has the full nutrition picture.
How do sweetness terms translate into grams of sugar?
EU rules tie each sweetness word on a still-wine label to a sugar range, and Port has its own scale set by Portugal's IVDP. Use them as a decoder when there's no tech sheet.
| Label term | Sugar g/L | Per 5 oz glass (calc.) | Rule |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dry | up to 4 (up to 9 if acidity is close) | up to 0.6 (1.3) | EU 2019/33 |
| Medium dry | up to 12 (up to 18 with acidity) | up to 1.8 (2.7) | EU 2019/33 |
| Medium / medium sweet | up to 45 | up to 6.7 | EU 2019/33 |
| Sweet | 45 or more | 6.7 or more | EU 2019/33 |
| Port: extra dry | 17.5 to 40 | 1.6 to 3.6 per 3 oz | IVDP |
| Port: dry | 40 to 65 | 3.6 to 5.8 per 3 oz | IVDP |
| Port: semi-dry | 65 to 85 | 5.8 to 7.6 per 3 oz | IVDP |
| Port: sweet | 85 to 130 | 7.6 to 11.6 per 3 oz | IVDP |
| Port: very sweet | over 130 | over 11.6 per 3 oz | IVDP |
Sources: Regulation (EU) 2019/33, Annex III and IVDP, Chapter 3 product specifications. Our Port wine guide covers the styles.
How many calories and carbs are in red wine?
A 5 oz glass of red wine has 114 to 130 calories in USDA data, from Gamay at the low end to Zinfandel at the top. Carbohydrate runs 3.4 to 4.2 g for most varieties, but that number is not sugar. USDA calculates carbs "by difference," which also counts glycerol and acids. (Source: USDA SR28, Beverages report)
| Red wine (USDA SR28) | Calories per 5 oz | Carbohydrate g | Sugars g |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gamay | 114 | 3.50 | not reported |
| Pinot Noir | 120 | 3.39 | not reported |
| Merlot | 122 | 3.69 | 0.92 |
| Cabernet Sauvignon | 122 | 3.83 | not reported |
| Syrah | 122 | 3.79 | not reported |
| Red table wine (composite) | 125 | 3.84 | 0.92 |
| Sangiovese | 126 | 3.85 | not reported |
| Zinfandel | 130 | 4.21 | not reported |
More detail: red wine calories, Pinot Noir calories and red wine alcohol content.
Can you find sugar content on a red wine label?
Usually not in the US. TTB regulations don't require nutrient labeling on alcohol, and a bottle that makes a calorie or carb claim must show a full statement of calories, carbohydrate, protein and fat, which still leaves out sugar. (Source: TTB, alcohol beverage labeling)
TTB proposed a mandatory "Alcohol Facts" statement in January 2025 (Notice No. 237). We found no final rule as of November 2026. (Source: Federal Register, Notice No. 237) Until then, the winery's tech sheet is the most reliable place to find residual sugar.
Where does the sugar in red wine come from?
It's residual sugar: grape sugar the yeast didn't convert to alcohol. A wine fermented to completion ends up dry. Sweet styles such as Lambrusco Amabile and Brachetto keep more grape sugar and less alcohol. Riunite's Amabile is 7.5% alcohol with 48 g/L of sugar. (Source: Riunite)
For a sense of scale, NIAAA defines a standard drink as 5 oz of 12% wine, which holds 14 g of pure alcohol, far more than the sugar in a dry glass. (Source: NIAAA, standard drink)
Frequently asked questions
How much sugar is in a 750 ml bottle of red wine?
About 4.6 g for average red table wine, calculated from USDA data. Dry Cabernets we checked run 1.1 to 1.8 g per bottle; Lambrusco Amabile runs 31.5 to 36 g.
Which red wine has the least sugar?
Fully dry reds. Rutherford Ranch's 2022 Napa Cabernet lists 1.5 g/L, about 0.2 g per glass. Look for a tech sheet under 4 g/L or "dry" on a European label.
Is red wine high in sugar?
No, if it's dry: about 0.9 g per 5 oz glass in USDA data, less than white table wine's 1.41 g. Sweet and fortified reds such as Brachetto and Port are much higher.
How much sugar is in Merlot?
USDA lists 0.92 g per 5 oz glass of Merlot, about 4.6 g per bottle by calculation.
How much sugar is in Cabernet Sauvignon?
USDA doesn't report it. The two 2022 Cabernet tech sheets we checked show 1.5 and 2.39 g/L, or 0.2 to 0.4 g per glass.
Do US wine labels list sugar?
No. TTB doesn't require nutrition labeling, and the proposed Alcohol Facts rule was not final as of November 2026.
Sources: USDA SR28 beverages report; Regulation (EU) 2019/33; IVDP; TTB; producer tech sheets linked above. Updated November 2026 by Anthony Zhang. Vintages vary; check the current tech sheet for the bottle you buy.
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