How many glasses of wine per person at a dinner party?

For a three-course dinner, plan for 3-4 glasses per person (roughly half a bottle each). A two-course meal needs about 3 glasses per person. Adjust up or down based on how well your guests drink and the event duration.

How many bottles of wine for 20 guests?

For a three-course dinner with moderate drinkers, you need about 10-12 bottles for 20 guests. Split this as roughly 4 red, 4 white, 2 rosé and 2 sparkling. Buy a few extra bottles for safety as wine keeps well.

What wine should I serve with each course?

Sparkling for arrival, white with starters and fish, red with meat mains, and a sweet wine or more red with cheese. For a buffet, offer a mix and let guests choose. In summer, increase white and rosé proportions.

Can I return unopened bottles of wine?

Most UK off-licences and supermarkets accept returns of unopened wine within their return window. Majestic Wine allows returns on any bottle. Buy a few extra and return what you do not open rather than running short.

PartyCalcs

Wine Pairing Calculator — Bottles by Course

Calculate wine quantities by type based on menu courses and guest preferences.

Number of Guests

Total guests attending the meal

Meal StyleType of meal being served

Drinking LevelHow much wine your guests typically drink

Red Wine %

Proportion of red wine

White Wine %

Proportion of white wine

Ros\u00E9 %

Proportion of ros\u00E9 wine

Sparkling %

Proportion of sparkling wine

How We Calculate This

The calculator estimates total glasses needed from course count and drinking level, then splits by wine type.

Glasses per course

Buffet: 2.5 glasses total
Two-course: 1.5 + 1.5 = 3 glasses
Three-course: 1 + 1.5 + 1 = 3.5 glasses
Wine tasting: 6 x 0.5 = 3 glasses (smaller pours)

Bottles

A standard 750ml bottle provides 5 glasses at 150ml each. Totals are rounded up per wine type to ensure you have enough of each.

Frequently Asked Questions

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Last updated: March 2026

All calculations are estimates. Adjust quantities based on your guests and event type.