We love pampering our guests and helping them live life to the brim with decadent, handmade meals and our portfolio of luscious, award-winning wines. Often we encounter visitors who are committed to a particular dietary lifestyle, which usually translates to a handful of hefty restrictions. The most popular of these is the keto (or ketogenic) diet. Many Ketonians long for a celebratory glass of wine and worry that they’ll erase all their progress if they choose to indulge. If you’re on the keto diet and wonder if you can drink wine, read on – the answer might surprise you!

The Keto Diet and Ketosis

In a nutshell, the keto diet is a low-carb, high-fat lifestyle that focuses on moderate protein content to help you lose weight, improve your health, and increase your energy. The idea is that you need to stick to a low daily allotment of carbs to keep your body in the state of ketosis.

When you keep your carbohydrate intake low enough, your body will enter ketosis, a metabolic state in which your body will begin burning fat for energy. Your liver uses stored and consumed fat to produce ketone molecules for energy. This is great news for your brain, which thrives on glucose and ketones, but it can be difficult to say goodbye to your favorite sweets and indulgences like wine.

Alcohol and Ketosis

Here’s the truth: you can still enjoy wine while remaining in ketosis, but it will slow the process down. When you savor that glass of wine, your liver drops everything it was doing in order to process the alcohol as quickly as possible. That means other nutrients – including fat – are put on a temporary backburner. In short, drinking a glass of wine won’t knock you out of ketosis (or erase your progress), but it will temporarily delay it.

The Consensus

The short answer to your question is yes – you can drink wine while on the keto diet. However, not all forms of wine (or alcohol itself, for that matter) are equal in the diet’s eyes. Those high in carbohydrates like beer and certain wines are off limits in the keto diet.

Fortunately, there are several wines that have little to no carbohydrates! Dry wines are your best bet, and any sparkling wines marked as “brut,” “extra brut,” or “brut nature” will have the lowest amount of carbs. Here are the keto-friendly wines we suggest!

• Cabernet sauvignon
• Chardonnay
• Chianti
• Italian pinot grigio
• Merlot
• Nebbiolo
• Pinot blanc
• Pinot noir
• Sauvignon blanc

As for the wines to avoid, you’ll want to think twice before sipping on sweeter wines. It’s not their fault – they’re naturally high in residual sugar – but they’re too carb-heavy for the keto diet. These wines include:

• Gewürztraminer
• Madiera
• Moscato
• Pinotage
• Riesling
• Sherry
• Shiraz
• Zinfandel

How to Enjoy Wine on the Keto Diet

Along with choosing the right wine, moderation is key. You can absolutely savor a glass of your favorite vino during dinner here and there, especially if you’re changing your lifestyle for the long run. Men can have no more than two glasses a day, and women can have one glass a day. Remember, a proper serving size is 5 ounces, so pour accordingly and relish that well-deserved glass!

Choose Chaumette

Looking for a keto-friendly wine that boasts a medley of delectable flavors? Our Unoaked Chardonel and our Reserve Chardonel are the perfect choices. Featuring fruit-forward aromas, these beautifully complex dry wines reward you with a delectable taste without undoing any of your hard-earned progress. Visit us at Chaumette and try our wine in person, or order yours online today!