Group · Drinks
Sweet wine
Sweet wine refers to a family of wines rich in residual sugar, made using techniques such as fortification (adding alcohol to stop fermentation) or late harvesting. It includes natural sweet wines, muscats, dessert wines and some other pudding wines. With about 148 kcal per 100 g and nearly 9.96 g of carbohydrate, it is a fairly high-calorie party drink, to be savoured in small amounts. Its sweetness on the palate and its aromas of candied fruit, honey or citrus make it a popular companion for aperitifs and desserts. In a balanced diet, sweet wine remains an occasional pleasure, to be drunk in moderation like any alcoholic drink.
Macronutrient breakdown
Nutrition table per 100 ml
| Calories | 148 kcal |
| Kilojoules | 616 kJ |
| Protein | 0,2 g |
| Carbohydrate | 10 g |
Micronutrients per 100 ml
All measured nutrients, ranked by share of the daily reference intake.
- Manganese0,12 mg6 %
- Potassium92 mg5 %
- Copper0,05 mg5 %
- Magnesium9 mg2 %
- Iron0,24 mg2 %
- Vitamin B10,02 mg2 %
- Vitamin B30,21 mg1 %
- Phosphorus9 mg1 %
See the other 6 nutrients
- Vitamin B20,02 mg1 %
- Calcium8 mg1 %
- Zinc0,07 mg1 %
- Iodine1 µg1 %
- Vitamin B50,03 mg1 %
- Selenium0,04 µg0 %
Anses Ciqual 2025. Source: Anses, 2025, Ciqual food composition table
Tips
Sweet wine is generally served chilled, at around 8 to 10 degrees for muscats and slightly colder still for dessert wines. The tasting serving stays small: a glass of 8 to 10 cl is plenty, because the calorie density and the sugar content mount up quickly if you have several glasses. It is a drink for sharing moments, at an aperitif or at the end of a meal, rather than an everyday drink.
- Pairings: it goes with foie gras, blue cheeses, fruit desserts, tarts or a simple piece of chocolate. Muscats bring out the best in melons and yellow fruit.
- Varieties: muscat, Banyuls, Maury, Sauternes, straw wines and late-harvest wines offer a lovely range of aromas, from fruity to candied.
- Storage: an open bottle keeps for a few days in the fridge, with an airtight stopper in place.
In terms of nutrition facts, sweet wine contains no fat or fibre, but its carbohydrates come from the sugars in the grape and give it a high glycaemic index. Combined with the alcohol, this makes it a drink to include with care, especially if you are trying to slim. If you are watching your weight, keep it for one-off occasions and limit how often you drink it. To understand the place of drinks rich in sugar and alcohol in your daily life, the article on empty calories and their alternatives is a good read.
If you are looking for a less sweet option for an aperitif, turn to a dry white wine or a light red wine, which are lower in carbohydrate. You can also explore all drinks and their nutritional profiles in the drinks family.
For active people: alcohol has no place around exercise. It disrupts hydration, hinders muscle recovery and slows protein synthesis. It is better to keep sweet wine for a convivial meal well away from training sessions, and to go for a proper recovery snack, such as orange juice with a source of protein. Remember to drink water too, to offset the diuretic effect of alcohol.
In short, sweet wine is a refined taste pleasure that deserves its place at festive moments. Enjoyed in small amounts, as part of a balanced diet, it remains compatible with a healthy lifestyle, as long as moderation stays the watchword.