One of the great pleasures in life is to relax with a glass of wine in hand. But a wine expert is warning that some of the UK’s favourite wines may have more sugar than you think.
According to Jonny Inglis, founder of Winedrops, wines like rosé, prosecco and champagne pack in “more sugar per glass than fruit juice”. However, wine bottles don’t come with clear sugar labels, which makes it harder for wine lovers to know how much sugar they’re consuming.
“Many people think wine is naturally low in sugar compared to cocktails or soft drinks,” Ingis said. “But in reality, some wines pack in more sugar per glass than fruit juice, and a few even edge close to fizzy drinks.”
Drinking alcohol in moderation can be part of a balanced diet, but NHS guidelines state that adults should have no more than 30g of free sugars a day. Free sugars are sugars added to food or drinks as well as sugars found naturally in honey, syrups, and unsweetened fruit and vegetable juices, smoothies and purées.
While wines have sugars that are naturally occurring from the grapes used to make them, most of the sugar from the grapes gets converted into alcohol. But, any sugar that isn’t is known as residual sugar makes up the sugar content in a bottle of wine.
However, some wines have a higher sugar content than others, and some producers add sugar or grape concentrate to sweeten them.
According to analysis by Winedrops, the wine with the highest amount of sugar is Barefoot Bubbly Pink Moscato, which contains 13.8g of sugar per 175ml glass. This is equivalent to nearly three teaspoons of sugar, more than a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice (12g of sugar per 175ml).
And, in bad news for lovers of the viral “chicken wine”, the highly popular La Vieille Ferme Rosé contains around 6.9g of sugar per 175ml glass.
Inglis said: “Rosé wines can be tricky because their sugar content varies so much. While some are dry and low in sugar, others, especially fruitier styles, can contain more than people expect.”
He recommended sticking to dry wines if you’re looking to cut back on sugar.
“Dry wines are fermented longer, meaning more of the natural grape sugars are converted into alcohol. This is why a bottle of dry red or white will have significantly less sugar than something like a fruit red or a semi-sweet rosé.”
Sparkling wines have varying levels of sugar content, so it’s important to check the label. (Getty Images)
Inglis’s advice also includes checking the alcohol by volume (ABV) before buying. Lower-alcohol wines (under 10%) are often higher in sugar, as less fermentation means more residual sweetness.
You can also cut down on sugar consumption by limiting your intake of sweet sparkling wines, such as pink moscato or fruit wines, which have far more sugar than prosecco or champagne.
“A glass of wine should be something to enjoy,” Inglis said. “But it’s always good to know what’s in your glass. Some wines have almost no sugar, while others are practically dessert in a bottle.”
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