Blame it on the Alcohol? Now you can Blame it on the Glass!

After a long day at the office, nothing is more rewarding than cracking open a bottle and unwinding with a glass of Mira. Maybe two. Feeling a little woozier after that second glass? Consider this: A study conducted by Cornell and Iowa State universities reveals a few determining factors that greatly influence the way in which we pour a glass of wine.

A variety of environmental settings were stationed and presented to 73 participants. They were then asked to pour a glass as they normally would. Researchers identified three cues that unintentionally prod our measurement skills.

People tend to pour more wine into their glass if the glass is perceivably wider. 11.9 percent more to be exact. And glass shape isn’t the sole influencer. The study also shows that when subjects held the glass in their hands, 12.2 percent more wine was poured. Additionally, when a high color contrast between the wine and glass was present, it yielded a 9.2 percent increase in the amount of wine poured, making red wine the primary coercer of over serving.

Laura Smarandescu, an assistant professor of marketing at Iowa State notes to The Huffington Post that people generally “have trouble assessing volumes”, which is why people underestimate how much wine they’re actually pouring. Now that people are aware of these factors, it’s easy to enjoy just the right amount of wine without the added morning effects. The study recommends that people choose a slightly narrower glass to avoid this blunder- or benefit.  Cheers!