standard wine glasse sizes

There's been some talk in Australia about introducing standard wine glass sizes in pubs restaurants etc.

Beer glasses have been standard sized for decades and glasses have a mark to show that the proper amount has been poured.

As I recall, the idea is that wine glasses might come in two sizes: for pours of 120 and 150 ml respectively.

I like the idea - it will ensure that consumers get an agreed amount for the price.

The other intention would be that drinkers can judge how many standard drinks they've had. This isn't going to work very accurately as wines here come with different levels of alcohol content. Let's say typically between

11.5% and 14.5% alcohol by volume.

(In Australia a standard drink is defined as 10 grams of pure alcohol. For example, two 150 ml glasses of wine at 14.5% alcohol will deliver approximately 3.4 standard drinks. Two 150 ml glasses of 11.5% alcohol will provide 2.7 standard drinks. Formula: size of container in litres X alcohol content X .789 (Alcohol S.G.). EG For a 150ml glass of 14.5% alcohol. .15X14.5X.789 = 1.72.)

I wondered if other countries have legislated wine glass sizes?

Cheers!

Martin

Reply to
Martin Field
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| >> Beer glasses have been standard sized for decades and glasses have a mark to | >> show that the proper amount has been poured. | >>

| >> As I recall, the idea is that wine glasses might come in two sizes: for | >> pours of 120 and 150 ml respectively. | >>

| >> I like the idea - it will ensure that consumers get an agreed amount for the | >> price. | >>

| >> The other intention would be that drinkers can judge how many standard | >> drinks they've had. This isn't going to work very accurately as wines here | >> come with different levels of alcohol content. Let's say typically between | >> 11.5% and 14.5% alcohol by volume. | >>

| >> (In Australia a standard drink is defined as 10 grams of pure alcohol. For | >> example, two 150 ml glasses of wine at 14.5% alcohol will deliver | >> approximately 3.4 standard drinks. Two 150 ml glasses of 11.5% alcohol will | >> provide 2.7 standard drinks. Formula: size of container in litres X alcohol | >> content X .789 (Alcohol S.G.). EG For a 150ml glass of 14.5% alcohol. | >> .15X14.5X.789 = 1.72.) | >>

| >> I wondered if other countries have legislated wine glass sizes? | >>

| >> Cheers! | >>

| >> Martin | >

| >Well, while it's true alcohol levels differ (and it could be more | >extreme than your examples- an 8% Mosel Riesling vs a 16% Zinfandel | >for instance) it at least gives a person the knowledge of how much | >they drank, and they should be able to get a closer estimate than if | >guessing on amount. | >I do find the idea of 120 ml and 150 ml a bit strange- I guess from | >bar/restaurant standpoint it lets them choose whether they want large | >or medium pours. I'd assume they'd only have one kind of glass. But | >I'd say more useful from a winegeek standpoint if a restaurant could | >offer a tasting pour (75 ml) and a full glass (150)- and easy to count | >if driving. Some winebars here tend to offer that, usually 3 oz and 6 | >oz. | | UK law is that wine glasses for still wine must be 125 ml or 175 ml or a | multiple of either; in practice, 175 and 250 are most common; quantities | under 75 ml are exempt from control (which allows tasting sizes). | Fortified: 50 or 70. But much more important, in almost all European | countries, by either legislation or custom, the amount is stated. I | have never understood why people in the US tolerate not knowing what | they are ordering until they see it. | | Sheila

We are a delightfully adventurous people, great with curiosity.

pavane

Reply to
pavane

In the UK, wine can only be legally served by the glass in multiples of

125 and 175ml. Usually you see 175 and 250ml glasses. Sounds reasonable until you realise the law also applies to sweet wines. And, even worse, fortified wines. Many places seem to ignore the law for sweet and fortified wines though, and get away with it. I also know a small chain of restaurants that serves smaller measures with tasting-menu-sized courses, which seems reasonable to me. There are currently proposals for making wine (and other drink) measure legislation more flexible.

May view is that restaurants should be allowed to serve in whatever measures they want - but the measure must be specified.

Reply to
Steve Slatcher

Until a few years ago the standard measure of wine was the 125ml glass, but now many pubs use 175ml or even 250ml. Experts are concerned that many drinkers unwittingly consume more when they are served a larger glass.

Reply to
Food

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