Wine Tasting – How Much Do You Drink?

by On Yer Bike Winery Tours, Hastings | Jul 1, 2022

For the wine enthusiast, there is no better a day than being out and about, visiting local wineries in the Bridge Pa Triangle or Gimblett Gravels wine growing regions and participating in a wine tasting. What better way to discover new flavours, varieties and wine styles?

But how much alcohol do you consume with a wine tasting? we look at how standard drinks are measured, how your body processes alcohol, and how to safely navigate your tasting tour.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational and guidance purposes only and does not constitute legal or medical advice. Please use it as a guide and do your own research.

1. Understanding a "Standard Drink" in New Zealand

In New Zealand, a single ‘Standard Drink’ is an alcoholic beverage that contains 10 grams (about 12.5ml) of pure alcohol. This is determined by the knowledge that the body can process and eliminate10 grams of alcohol per hour. It does not speed up or slow down, it is a constant rate.

  • The standard drinks measure is a simple way for you to work out how much alcohol you are drinking.
  • All alcoholic beverages must be labelled with their per cent alcohol by volume (ABV) i.e. 5%, and the number of standard drinks in that container. (i.e. 1.3 standard drinks).
  • A standard restaurant glass of wine can vary quite considerably and frequently is more than one standard drink.

Examples Across Different Beverages (All equal 1 Standard Drink / 10g of pure alcohol)

  • Spirits (40% ABV): Just a 30ml nip (one standard shot glass). Because spirits are concentrated, a very small volume packs a full standard drink.
  • Regular Strength Beer (4% ABV): A 330ml bottle or can (a standard stubbie/bottle).
  • Low-Carb / Light Beer (2.5% ABV): Roughly a 500ml large can or bottle, because the lower alcohol percentage means you need a larger volume to hit that 10g mark.
  • Table Wine (12.5% ABV): A 100ml pour (Note: This is smaller than a standard restaurant serving, which is usually 150ml and equals about 1.5 standard drinks).
  • Fortified Wine / Port (18% ABV): Just a 70ml pour, due to the much higher alcohol content.

Why this matters for a wine tasting.
When you have a flight of six 30ml wine tastings, you might think, "It's just a tiny splash in six little glasses, it barely equals anything!" But when you combine multiple pours—especially if some are higher-alcohol reds or dessert wines—those small volumes add up surprisingly fast. For example a tasting nip (30ml) of 12.5% alcohol wine = 0.3 standard drinks.

The Standard Drink Formula

Standard Drinks = (Volume (mL) x ABV (%) x 0.789*) /10
*Where 0.789 is the density of ethanol in g/mL

2. New Zealand Legal Driving Limits

Knowing how much you drink is critical for understanding New Zealand’s strict legal thresholds:

  • Drivers under 20 years: Zero alcohol tolerance limit.
  • Drivers 20 years and over: The legal driving limit is 0.05% Blood

Alcohol Concentration (BAC) (0.05 grams of alcohol per 100ml of blood) or 250 micrograms (mcg) per litre of breath.

As a general rule of thumb, one standard drink raises your BAC by approximately 0.02%. Consuming two standard drinks within one hour puts your BAC closer to 0.04%-0.05% which will put you on the cusp of the legal limit (0.05%). If you consume one “Standard Drink” per hour thereafter, you will maintain that level.

3. Practical Example: A Multi-Winery Tasting Tour

Let's look at a typical afternoon visiting some local cellar doors:

Stops & Consumption: You decide to visit three wineries over the next three hours. Each winery offers a tasting of five wines from their range. Each tasting pour is around 30ml – which is enough to smell the aromas and take two good sips to try the wine. Not all the wines sampled have the same alcohol level, but we can take an average here. The first wine was 11.5%, with the next two being 12.5%, the fourth was 14%, and the last was an 18% port. In all, you have consumed a total of 450ml of wine with an average ABV of 13.7% making it 4.86 standard drinks - about three glasses of wine.

The Elimination Formula: After three hours, your body has processed 3 standard drinks (1 per hour).

The Balance: This leaves roughly 1.86 standard drinks still active in your system.

The Verdict: At this level, you are under the legal driving limit, but close. You could wait a bit before driving or arrange alternate transport, or utilise a designated driver.

4. How to Enjoy Wine Tastings Safely

You don't need to over-consume alcohol to experience the full breadth of a winery's portfolio. There are several options you can do to enjoy a wine tasting and still get home safely afterwards:

  1. SPIT. At each wine tasting there will be a spittoon. It is not there just to dispose of wines that do not please your palette. It is there so you do not have to consume all the alcohol. You can capture the full aromatic profile and flavour notes by swirling, sipping, and spitting out the wine.
  2. SHARE. If you have a partner with you, you can share a tasting. Thus reducing your alcohol intake. All though, there are some people you just cannot share wine with!
  3. DESIGNATE: Take turns being the designated driver, or better yet, leave the driving to a local bike hire and tour service so everyone can relax completely.

On Yer Bike Hawke’s Bay Ltd. Notice: We do not endorse drink driving or the excessive consumption of alcohol. Calculations provided are for general guidance only. Monitoring your consumption and ensuring safe transport remains your sole responsibility.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q: Can I sober up faster by drinking water or coffee?

A: No. Time is the only factor that lowers your Blood Alcohol Concentration. Your liver processes alcohol at a fixed rate of roughly one standard drink per hour regardless of hydration, food intake, or caffeine.

Q: Does spitting wine during a tasting completely eliminate alcohol intake?

A: Spitting significantly reduces alcohol consumption, but a minute amount of alcohol can still be absorbed through the mucous membranes in your mouth. If you are driving, practice disciplined spitting across all tastings.

Q: How many standard drinks are in a standard 30ml winery tasting pour?

A: A standard 30ml tasting pour of a typical 12.5% ABV wine equals approximately 0.3 standard drinks. However, higher-alcohol wines (such as fortified ports at 18% ABV) will increase that standard drink value per pour.

Official Resources & References