A standard wine bottle holds 25.4 U.S. ounces (750 mL), while half and magnum bottles hold about 12.7 and 50.7 ounces.
Split
Standard
Magnum
Tasting & Flights
- Single-serve splits keep waste low
- Easy portion control
- Great for favors
Small Format
Dinner Service
- Five 5-oz pours per 750 mL
- Works with most stemware
- Fits fridge racks
Most Common
Party & Buffet
- Magnums speed refills
- Steadier temps
- Less packaging
Large Format
Ounces In A Standard Bottle Of Wine: Quick Math
Most labels print volume in milliliters, not ounces. The common size, 750 mL, equals 25.4 U.S. fluid ounces. That conversion comes from the exact factor used in food and beverage work: 1 fl oz = 29.57 mL.
The split, or single-serve bottle, holds 187 mL. That’s 6.3 ounces. A half bottle holds 375 mL, or 12.7 ounces. A magnum is 1.5 liters, or 50.7 ounces. Large formats step up from there in even liters.
Restaurants pour five-ounce servings for table wine. That pour size yields about five glasses from a 750 mL bottle. At home, many people pour a touch more. A steady pour keeps your math clean and avoids surprise shortfalls.
Bottle Size (mL) | U.S. Ounces | 5-Oz Glasses |
---|---|---|
187 (Split) | 6.3 | 1 |
375 (Half) | 12.7 | 2–2.5 |
500 | 16.9 | 3 |
620–700 | 21.0–23.7 | 4 |
720–750 (Standard) | 24.3–25.4 | 5 |
1,000 | 33.8 | 6–7 |
1,500 (Magnum) | 50.7 | 10 |
3,000 (Double Magnum) | 101.4 | 20 |
Curious about measuring accuracy at home? A small kitchen scale beats eyeballing any day, and our take on scale vs cups accuracy explains why steady weights help recipes and pours.
Why Ounces Per Bottle Matter
Planning a dinner, stocking for a weekend, or pacing a tasting all come back to how many ounces sit in each bottle. Pours vary by style and glassware. A crisp white often lands at 5 ounces in a standard stem. Big reds sometimes get a 5.5-ounce pour in a larger bowl, which drops your glasses per bottle from five to about four and a half.
Strength plays a part too. Table wine near 12% ABV lines up with public health guidance for a 5-ounce standard drink. Fortified styles sit higher in alcohol and usually pour 3–4 ounces. Steady glass sizes keep servings consistent across the table.
From Milliliters To Ounces Without Guesswork
You can convert any label to ounces with a quick step. Multiply milliliters by 0.0338. That’s the same as dividing by 29.57. Keep full digits through the math, then round at the end for clean, friendly numbers.
Here’s a quick way to sanity-check the math. If the label says 750 mL, think “just over three cups,” since 1 cup is about 237 mL. Three cups brings you to 711 mL; add a splash and you’re near 750. That aligns with 25.4 ounces.
Curious where those factors come from? The U.S. weights and measures program sets out the accepted numbers used in kitchens and labs. You’ll see the same factor on the NIST conversion tables that many pro kitchens reference.
Legal Bottle Sizes You’ll See On Shelves
Wine can appear in a long list of sizes beyond the familiar 750 mL. In the U.S., the regulator lists many metric fills for wine, from 50 mL minis up to 3 liters, with even-liter formats beyond that. Retailers stock a subset, with 187 mL splits, 375 mL halves, 750 mL bottles, 1 liter, 1.5 liter, and 3 liter formats the ones you’ll spot most often.
If you write menus or run events, that range matters. A case of splits covers single-serve tastings with zero waste. One-liter bottles stretch to six or seven glasses and ease service at casual gatherings. Three-liter boxes, where permitted, suit picnics and larger groups where the pour rate runs fast.
Typical Formats And When To Use Them
Splits (187 mL). Handy for airline pours, wedding favors, and tasting flights. Count on one full glass each. Storage is short; small volume picks up oxygen faster once opened.
Halves (375 mL). Two generous glasses or three tasting pours. Nice for sauces and midweek nights where a full bottle would linger too long.
Standard (750 mL). Five 5-ounce glasses in a steady service. Fits racks and fridges with no fuss. Nearly every style ships in this size.
One Liter. Six to seven pours. Great for easy-drinking whites and rosés at cookouts.
Magnum (1.5 L). Ten glasses and slower aging due to the air-to-wine ratio. Handy for parties and holiday tables.
Double Magnum (3 L). Twenty glasses. Suits large groups and buffet lines where refills come fast.
How Many Glasses Do You Get?
Here’s the simple planning rule. Use five-ounce servings for table wine. If the crowd prefers bigger bowls, step that to 5.5 ounces and shave the glass count a touch. For bubbly, many hosts pour 4 ounces into flutes to keep bubbles fresh; that bumps your count per bottle.
Pouring charts help more than memory. Use the table below to map guests to bottles with zero guesswork. The math assumes steady five-ounce pours for still wine.
Scenario | Ounces Needed | Bottles To Buy |
---|---|---|
4 guests × 1 glass | 20 oz | 1 |
4 guests × 2 glasses | 40 oz | 2 |
6 guests × 2 glasses | 60 oz | 3 |
8 guests × 2 glasses | 80 oz | 4 |
10 guests × 2 glasses | 100 oz | 5 |
Sparkling toast, 10 flutes at 4 oz | 40 oz | 2 |
Tasting flight, 10 people × 3 oz | 30 oz | 2 |
Does Glass Size Change The Count?
Yes. Tall stems and wide bowls can trick the eye. A five-ounce line hits low in many large glasses. Marking a discreet line on one test glass helps a host set the pace. Restaurants train this way to keep pours consistent and pricing fair.
For sparkling wine, glass shape shifts the plan. A narrow flute preserves bubbles at smaller volumes, so many hosts pour 4 ounces. Coupes show less foam and invite a touch more. Know the glass, then lock the pour.
ABV, Style, And Pour Size
Alcohol by volume changes service. Lighter whites near 11–12% ABV suit a five-ounce pour over a meal. Rich reds at 14–15% can sit better at 5 ounces with a water glass nearby. Fortified wine lands in the 17–20% range, so a 3–4 ounce pour fits the moment and matches the guidance in public health materials.
If you want to pace a long evening, match each glass with water and snacks. Small plates slow the sip rate and keep the night comfortable.
Leftovers, Storage, And Waste
Opened bottles lose freshness through oxygen. Splits fade fastest; magnums last longer once opened, yet they still decline. Re-cork right away, use a stopper, and chill the bottle. Lower temps slow oxidation and extend the window for another pour tomorrow.
Dry whites and rosé hold up in the fridge for two to three days. Bright reds last a touch longer when sealed and chilled, then brought back toward room temp before serving. Fortified wine stretches further due to higher alcohol.
Cooking plans save leftovers from the sink. Braises, pan sauces, and stews welcome that last half cup. If you cook often, consider freezing small portions in a tray for quick use.
Reliable Ways To Measure A Pour
A jigger marked at 1.5 ounces gives you repeatable boosts when topping off. For wine, many bar teams train with a simple timed pour using water to set rhythm. At home, fill one glass with 5 ounces of water, mark the level with tape, and use that cue for the night.
A small digital scale also helps. Weigh an empty glass, tare, then add 5 ounces of water to spot the level. Swap the water for wine and match the line. No guesswork, no waste.
Quick Reference: What To Remember
Standard bottle: 25.4 ounces. Five glasses at 5 ounces each. Splits serve one, halves serve two to three, magnums serve ten. Convert mL to ounces with ×0.0338. Use steady pours for clean counts.
Want a deeper kitchen read tied to chilling and storage? Peek at our short guide on refrigerator temperature settings to keep opened bottles in good shape.