Wine in Moderation
Responsible Drinking Guidelines Responsible drinking
Responsible drinking Print E-mail

Key points to savour

  • Enjoy wine to its fullest
  • Understand the wine you drink: knowing where its unique character comes from makes drinking the more pleasurable.
  • Drink slowly: take the time to savour the wine’s distinctive taste.
  • Accompany wine with good food: enjoy wine that complements your meals, alongside a glass of water.
  • Regular consumption of small amounts of wine is preferable to binge drinking large amounts on a single occasion.
  • Do not exceed the guidelines for moderate, low-risk consumption of alcoholic beverages.
  • Based on available scientific evidence and different references provided by various public health authorities, it is accepted that low-risk moderate consumption ranges between the amounts set out in the guidelines below:

Guidelines for low risk moderate consumption:

  • Up to 2 drink units a day for women
  • Up to 3 drink units a day for men
  • No more than 4 drink units on any one occasion.
  • Alcohol should be avoided in certain situations such as when pregnant, when taking certain medication or when working machinery.
  • Wine consumption requires maturity: underage people should not drink.
  • Pregnant women should avoid consumption of alcoholic beverages.
  • Avoid drinking if you drive and - in any case - never exceed the Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) limits legally established for drivers.

Alcohol consumption: terms of measurement


1 drink unit representing 10 g of pure alcohol equates to:

glass_wine.gif 10cl of wine at 12% vol
glass_champ.gif 10cl of sparkling wine at 12%
glass_liquor.gif 6cl of liqueur wine at 20% vol
glass_aroma.gif 7cl of aromatised wine of 15% vol


(*) This term indicates the average content of pure alcohol expressed in the most common units of consumption, although serving volumes and consumption guidelines vary across countries.

Did you know that….?

  • Wine production and consumption has been a part of European heritage for millennia. The European Union is today the world’s largest wine producer and exporter.
  • Each wine is a natural unique product. To ensure its authenticity and quality wine is subject to a comprehensive strict regulation from the vineyard to the consumer.
  • Appreciated for its flavour, texture, body, colour, bouquet and variety, wine is often the ideal complement to good food.
  • Only by savouring wine moderately and slowly can its complex flavours be fully appreciated and enjoyed.
  • Alcohol misuse damages health and can cause a variety of social problems.
  • Respecting the aforementioned guidelines, moderate wine consumption by adults, as part of a balanced diet, is compatible with a low-risk, healthy lifestyle. However, drinking more than the recommended guidelines will not provide more benefits,
    only more harm.

When in doubt, please consult your physician!

The authors have taken reasonable care in ensuring the accuracy of the information herein at the time of publication and are not responsible for any errors or omissions.