Wine Growers Canada launches the Right Amount, an innovative and interactive initiative to encourage safe and responsible consumption of wine

There is a common misconception that a glass of wine represents a standard drink of alcohol. The reality is that the alcohol content in wine can vary from less than 10% to over 20% alcohol by volume (ABV) and the pour size can vary significantly from 3oz to 9oz, or more. So what is the right amount of wine?

Wine Growers Canada (WGC) has been actively involved in the development and delivery of Canada’s National Alcohol Strategy and developed tools and information to help Canadians make informed and responsible choices about wine consumption. We want to:

• Ensure that more Canadians understand what constitutes a drink and respect guidelines for low risk drinking;
• Increase awareness of key issues like the risks and consequences of drinking during pregnancy;
• Expand information about drinking, in particular regarding alcohol and health, alcohol and driving;
• Educate Canadians that a glass of wine varies by volume and alcohol content. Higher the alcohol the lower the pour volume;
• Increase the credibility of wine growers as a responsible organization when it comes to drink information.

WGC surveyed Canadians to determine their level of knowledge about the alcohol content in wine and to learn how the wine industry can help consumers make informed choices about wine consumption and their health. The vast majority of respondents were not able to accurately determine how many standard serving sizes are in a typical bottle of 12% ABV wine.

This gap in knowledge has lead WGC and their members to launch the “Right Amount” initiative to help Canadians make informed decisions about their wine consumption and understand what a standard drink looks like.

To help educate consumers, WGC has developed an online standard drink calculator that allows consumers to determine how many standard servings are in a glass or bottle of wine based on the alcohol content and volume. A standard serving is determined by these two factors, meaning the higher the alcohol content the smaller the pour size of a standard drink. The standard drink calculator, found at www.therightamount.ca, helps educate consumers on their preferred wine providing them with the information to make responsible choices.

“Eighty-four per cent of Canadians see a role for those of us who produce and sell alcohol to inform and educate consumers about responsible alcohol consumption,” says Kelly Brown, Chair of Wine Growers Canada and Executive Vice President, People, Legal & Corporate Affairs at Arterra Wines Canada. “We care about our consumers and want them have the right information to make informed decisions.”

Along with the standard drink calculator, the website also contains resources for enjoying wine in moderation, including tips, resources for parents to speak with their children about alcohol, and responsible drinking guidelines.

“As producers, sellers, and lovers of wine, we care about our consumers and the wine we make for Canadians to sip and savour,” says Dan Paszkowski, President and CEO of Wine Growers Canada. “With the ‘Right Amount’ our goal is to educate and equip Canadians with the information they need to make the best decisions for themselves.”