Yes, you can absolutely become intoxicated from drinking wine. Wine contains ethanol, the psychoactive substance responsible for the effects of drunkenness. Intoxication is the temporary impairment of cognitive function, coordination, and motor skills after consuming an alcoholic beverage. The degree of impairment is highly variable, depending on the amount consumed, the speed of consumption, and the specific type of wine chosen. Understanding the alcohol concentration and how your body processes it answers whether you can get drunk.
The Body’s Process for Intoxication
Intoxication begins when ethanol enters the bloodstream through the stomach and small intestine. Alcohol has a high affinity for water and is quickly distributed throughout the body’s tissues and fluids via the circulatory system. This distribution determines the Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC), which measures alcohol in the blood and correlates directly with the level of impairment.
The body eliminates alcohol primarily through liver metabolism. An enzyme called alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) converts ethanol into acetaldehyde, which is then metabolized into less harmful compounds, eventually becoming carbon dioxide and water. The rate at which the liver can perform this metabolism is relatively constant, typically processing only about one standard drink per hour.
Intoxication occurs when alcohol consumption exceeds the liver’s fixed rate of metabolism. If wine is consumed faster than the body can break down the ethanol, the BAC continues to rise. This imbalance causes the progressive symptoms associated with being drunk, such as slurred speech, impaired judgment, and decreased coordination.
Alcohol Concentration and Standard Wine Servings
Wine’s potential for intoxication relates directly to its Alcohol by Volume (ABV), the percentage of pure ethanol in the beverage. Most table wines, including popular reds and whites, range from 12% to 15% ABV. This concentration is significantly higher than most beers (around 5% ABV) but lower than distilled spirits (often 40% ABV).
A “standard drink” is defined as any beverage containing 0.6 ounces of pure ethanol. For wine, this equals a 5-ounce pour of 12% ABV wine. Comparing this to a 12-ounce beer or a 1.5-ounce shot of 40% spirits helps quantify consumption in terms of pure alcohol content. It is important to note that many wine glasses and typical pours exceed this 5-ounce standard measure.
Wine Type and ABV
The specific type of wine matters significantly. Lower-alcohol white wines like Moscato may contain 5% to 7% ABV. Conversely, certain red wines or high-alcohol varieties like Zinfandel can reach 15% or more. Fortified wines, such as Port or Sherry, have added spirits, often ranging from 17% to 21% ABV. Consuming higher ABV wine means the same volume contains more ethanol, leading to a faster increase in Blood Alcohol Concentration and quicker intoxication.
Individual Variables Affecting Intoxication Rate
The rate and severity of intoxication are influenced by several personal factors that modulate alcohol absorption and distribution. The presence of food in the stomach significantly slows the rate at which ethanol is absorbed into the bloodstream. Drinking wine on an empty stomach causes a much faster spike in BAC compared to drinking after a meal.
Body weight and composition also play a large role because alcohol distributes primarily in the body’s total water content. Individuals with lower body mass or higher body fat achieve a higher Blood Alcohol Concentration from the same amount of wine, as there is less water for dilution. Biological sex differences also affect the rate, as women generally have less body water and lower levels of the stomach enzyme alcohol dehydrogenase than men.
The speed of consumption is a critical variable. Drinking multiple glasses of wine quickly overwhelms the liver’s ability to metabolize ethanol, leading to rapid accumulation in the blood. Factors like hydration status and fatigue can also exacerbate the effects of alcohol. Because of these variables, two people drinking the same amount of wine can experience widely different levels of impairment.