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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To think a bottle of wine is a LOT to drink for 1 person?

274 replies

lesley33 · 12/03/2012 19:10

This comes out of a discussion with a frind who I saw on Saturday morning. When we talked about what we were going to do that weekend it came up that she was planning to drink a bottle of wine to herself that evening. When I commented that this was a lot, she said she regularly drank a bottle of wine.

So AIBU in thinking this is a lot for someone to drink in 1 night?

OP posts:

cornsilkidy · 12/03/2012 21:58

I have a bottle every Friday and Saturday night. Usually drink most of it.

hopkin · 12/03/2012 21:59

I drink at least a bottle of wine, most nights. It's usually more like 1.5 bottles of wine, or a bottle + several beers.

cornsilkidy · 12/03/2012 21:59

I also run 3/4 times a week and do weights so am not a lazy slob.

Mrawmraw · 12/03/2012 22:01

I sometimes drink a whole bottle of wine to myself on a Friday / Saturday night. Not every week right enough, and I only drink at all 1-2 nights a week.

Yes it gets me a bit drunk but not in an incapable way and I'm OK (if slightly groggy) the next morning.

I weigh only 7 and a half stone as well. Don't think it's an extreme amount, unless every night or nearly every night.

inabeautifulplace · 12/03/2012 22:02

The key point in the OP is surely the word regularly. If your friend means she's drinking that much every few days, then I'd say that was a lot. Once a week or less, not really an issue imo.

dontlaugh · 12/03/2012 22:04

I had thought a full bottle of wine was closer to 15 units of alcohol? Is it only 9, as said upthread?
Either way, it's a lot in one go. And I regularly used to do it. But it is bingeing, which is fact, not opinion.

sandyboots · 12/03/2012 22:05

lentillyfart if you only drink twice a year could you drink a whole bottle without being sick?
I don't think it's po faced etc to think drinking a bottle of wine in a night is a lot, just that it is in fact a lot to many people. It doesn't make them po-faced or mean they don't drink or whatever. I drink every week or couple of weeks but think a whole bottle of wine is a lot. Not saying what other people should do, that's up to them.

wherearemysocks · 12/03/2012 22:06

I certainly feel an effect after a bottle of wine, a lovely, tipsy, up for some great sex effect. Not puking down the loo, that's all...

Couldn't have said it better myself :)

The thing is tolerance is changable. I put away a bottle of red on Saturday night without even noticing, after dinner while watching a movie with dh. I was fine, walked in a straight line to bed and even went for a 14mile run the next morning.

Another week when I've not eaten and I'm due on and I'll be tipsy after a glass or two. Another week when I'm out with the girls (doesn't happen to often these days) I'll have the equivalent of a botlte before we've left the house and then go on to have many shots etc, make it home safe but be hungover the next day.

As others have said, we are all adult enough to know what is healthy and to balance having a life and being evangelical.

Disclaimer: if you are in charge of children then obviously that trumps 'fun' and you should make sure at least one of you is always sober enough to be responsible.

runningforthebusinheels · 12/03/2012 22:06

Scattergun, red wine with the Sunday dinner (we have ours in the evening) is one of the simple pleasures of my week.

JenaiMarrHePlaysGuitar · 12/03/2012 22:06

I don't think it's that much tbh. Every night, or several nights a week, not so good. But I could put away a bottle in a few hours and barely notice.

It's probably about the same in units terms as a few pints - so clearly not exactly living the cleanest of most wholesome lives but not exactly dipsomania, either.

cornsilkidy · 12/03/2012 22:06

ye a bottle of wine about 12.5% is 9 units. I checked on a website. 12.5 is quite strong as well I think.

hmc · 12/03/2012 22:07

I haven't made any moral judgements about drinking a bottle of wine - I'm a libertarian in this respect and don't care what other people do as long as it doesn't affect me. I have just answered the op's question that it is a lot (and not without health consequences) ... But some of your reactions to my fairly tame remarks makes me think you ought to start on your 2nd bottle - tetchy, much!

runningforthebusinheels · 12/03/2012 22:08

The wine I drink is 9 units a bottle. According to a survey I took I am a 'moderate drinker.' On average 2 bottles of wine a week.

cornsilkidy · 12/03/2012 22:09

yes I'm a moderate drinker then!

SwedishEdith · 12/03/2012 22:09

If it's 12% wine it'll be 9 units. 13% is nearly 10 units. It#d have to be sherry to be 15 units!

DodieSmith · 12/03/2012 22:13

Depends how often you do it. If it's every night it's a bit much. But if not then it's not that bad. Frankly.

LentillyFart · 12/03/2012 22:16

I don't think I've ever thrown up from drinking - even when I liked getting pissed! I just don't much like it anymore but I could and would if I felt like it.

sunshineandbooks · 12/03/2012 22:17

The BMA have reported a significant rise in liver cirrosis among middle-aged women due to the phenomenon of having a glass or two to relax in the evening. They pointed out that these were NOT women who were getting 'drunk' or drinking excessively by social standards, but that drinking has a cumulative effect on the liver and it is affected by age.

I like drinkers. They tend to be fun and alcohol is a wonderful social lubricant. Despite being a bit of a fitness fanatic, I like a drink, will never be a tee-totaller and TBH I feel slightly uncomfortable about people who live saintly lives in terms of diet and lifestyle. It's the same reason I run marathons but refuse to join a gym full of sporty fit people. Maybe this is a hangover from my significantly mis-spent youth.

But whatever my personal feelings about alcohol, the scientific fact is that too much is harmful, and that's why I limit it. It's the same reason I stopped smoking. Both my parents are dead already so I've had cause to think about my own mortality and try and do something to improve the odds in my favour. I often wonder would I have bothered if they were both still alive (probably not). I wouldn't dream of commenting (apart from on the internet of course ) on anyone else's drinking habits though unless they were a dear friend and I thought they had a serious problem.

TheMerchantOfVenom · 12/03/2012 22:18

hmc - if you're accusing me of being 'tetchy', then yes, I was.

But in relation to you not reading the thread and then saying something that had already been covered.

Bad form. It comes across as if you can't be bothered to read anyone else's contribution, but need to put your views in front of everyone. Just my personal opinion on manners - and the reason for being 'tetchy'; not with what you were saying, per se.

I've always thought a bottle has 10 units in it. DH and I get 6 glasses (3 each) out of a bottle - stretches out the enjoyment.

roastveg · 12/03/2012 22:20

I think the comparison with food is a good one, because the thing it has in common with wine is portion size. I don't drink, but I do overeat, and when I look back I can see a huge problem with the gradual way my portion sizes have crept up over the years (things like the number of pieces of cake or slices of toast it's 'normal' to eat in a day outside of mealtimes, and the sugar and calories in meals in general). It's like boiling a frog - you just don't notice it happening - 'normal' evolves.

It seems to me that a similar thing can happen far too easily with wine (and beer) - 'normal' evolves over the years and there's a risk you won't notice the point when you cross the line into a rate of drinking that's very dangerous for health.

To me as a nondrinker, the idea of regularly drinking a whole bottle of wine seems clearly to be an example of 'overdrinking' in the same way that some of the things I eat seem (more clearly to other people than to me) to be 'overeating'. Two wrongs don't make a right though. I honestly don't think anyone regularly drinking a whole bottle of wine in an evening should be feeling all that relaxed about their drinking, any more than any average (non-athletic) woman regularly eating 3500 calories a day should be relaxed about that. Both can insidiously start to seem normal; both can have horrendous health effects when spread over many years.

storminabuttercup · 12/03/2012 22:21

I don't think a bottle of wine is too much once or twice a week, i don't feel drunk after a full bottle.

Yes there are guidelines, but there are guidelines about alot of things, I'm an adult and can decide what I drink

Plus it's grapes innit? So one if your five a day

sandyboots · 12/03/2012 22:22

I'd notice if I was boiling a frog roastveg
agree with you though

hmc · 12/03/2012 22:23

I can't abide 'read the whole thread' preachers, does my nut in. Nonsense position that people can't validly contribute unless they have waded through scores of posts......

misslinnet · 12/03/2012 22:27

I agree roastveg

AThingInYourLife · 12/03/2012 22:28

Well said roastveg

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