March 3, 2014 | 2 minute read

Q:        Wine glasses seem to be getting so much larger. Is one glass still considered one serving of wine?

A:        For many years, a standard all-purpose wine glass has been about eight ounces. That fits the standard five-ounce serving of wine well because wine glasses are not supposed be poured full. To appreciate a wine’s flavor more fully, wine connoisseurs fill a glass no more than one-third to one-half full, both to give air space to hold the aroma (bouquet) of the wine and to provide enough room to swirl wine in the glass without spilling it. However, 12- to 16-ounce wine glasses have now become standard at many restaurants, hotels and even private homes, and some are even larger. If people fill these glasses beyond that one-third to one-half mark, one glass of wine can provide the alcohol content equal to two or more standard servings of alcohol. The best solution is to practice measuring water into wine glasses at home, to train your eye to recognize different portions. Then, regardless of how big your glass is, you will know when you’ve reached the recommended maximum of wine that defines moderation, which is no more than one five-ounce serving a day for women, two for men.