The Easy Trick To Keep Yourself From Drinking Too Much Wine

The Easy Trick To Keep Yourself From Drinking Too Much Wine

Because merlot hangovers hurt.

When your pour yourself a glass of wine, how do you keep from going Olivia Pope-levels of overboard? The “half full” rule of thumb is the ticket, says new research out of Iowa State University and Cornell University.

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The researchers noted that various studies have shown people have misperceptions about the strength and amount of wine when “free pouring,” or helping themselves to a drink without the use of measuring tools. While beer is usually sold in single-serving containers and bartenders often do the measuring work when it comes to spirits, things are a little more confusing when it comes to vino. Wine servings, the study authors say, are often up to the consumer. Add the fact that wine glasses vary wildly in shape and size (and that most of them exceed one serving of alcohol anyway), and you’ve got a recipe for overdoing it.

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In the study of 74 college students and staff who drank at least one glass of wine a week, participants were told to pour “as much wine as they would normally pour into a glass in one sitting.” They repeated that action in sixteen different scenarios without drinking any of the wine. Certain variables were switched up, like the type of wine, glass sizes and shapes, subjects’ sitting and standing positions, and pouring next to a water pitcher. Then they completed a survey about whether they had a “rule of thumb” while pouring wine that let them know when to stop: the “half glass” rule, the “to the top” rule, or the “two finger gap [from the top]” rule. At 71 percent, most people cited the “half glass” rule, or filling the glass about halfway up.  

Those who instituted this rule as a self-imposed serving limit poured about 20 percent less than the other participants. This is pretty helpful news, since even one night of binge drinking can wreak havoc on your body and set you up for a calorie overload. So the next time your pouring out some Pinot Noir, just remember: See the glass as half-full, and your body will thank you!  

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