How Much Wine Should You Buy For A Dinner Party?

No one wants to be the host who runs out of wine. Whether you're organizing a wine-tasting party or planning for unexpected guests showing up to tonight's dinner, you'll want to give those bottles a second count before the first attendee arrives.

As a general estimate, you can plan on serving three glasses of wine per attendee throughout a dinner, with an additional glass before the meal is served or after as a post-dinner sipper. For a quick and easy figure, you can stock up on one bottle of wine per person, then stash an extra two or three bottles behind the bar to ensure the wine doesn't run dry before the party ends. Pouring glasses yourself or setting up scattered drink stations around your home can impact the amount of wine that flows throughout the evening, but with your generous planning, even that friend-of-a-friend who wasn't originally on your guest list will have wine to sip. 

Calculating the exact number of wine bottles you'll need for your party isn't an exact science, but there are a few assumptions you can make and factors to consider as you head to the liquor store. Knowing that four to five glasses of wine are in a bottle, you can estimate how much wine will be consumed throughout the course of the evening. Factors like the shape of your glassware and the anticipated length of the party will also affect how much wine you'll need.

Ideally, you'll be able to offer both red and white varieties, plus something bubbly for celebratory toasts. If you have a theme for your dinner or are hosting a party outside during warmer months, plan accordingly to have enough wine coolers at the ready and bottles chilled before the party starts. Tinker with ratios of provided wines accordingly; for example, buy more white wine bottles for summer backyard barbecues and lean towards packing more reds for winter parties held indoors.