Updated May 2026.
Agave wine is not tequila. Tequila (27 CFR 5.148) is a distilled Mexican agave spirit under CRT rules, bottled in a spirit band (most US bottles 40%). Agave wine is a fermented wine product made from agave sugars — a wine class, not a CRT tequila. A 1.5-ounce 40% tequila pour is one NIAAA standard drink. Wine math is 5 ounces at about 12%.
Some ready-to-drink “margaritas” use agave wine plus flavoring. That is not an IBA Margarita (50 ml 100% agave tequila). Related: Kirkland margarita, tequila guide.
Fermented vs distilled
| Rule | Tequila | Agave wine |
|---|---|---|
| Process | Distilled spirit | Fermented wine product |
| Place / law | Mexico + CRT | Not a CRT tequila type |
| Typical strength | Most US bottles 40% (CRT 35–55% — read the neck) | Wine-range — read that label; do not assume 40% |
| NOM number | Required on tequila | No tequila NOM |
Four 1.5-ounce 40% tequila pours are four drinks. Four 5-ounce 12% wine pours are four drinks. A 12% agave-wine RTD poured like a cocktail will under-count if you treat it as a shot. NIAAA binge pattern is a health line, not a target. IBA spec: margarita tequila.
Sources
- 27 CFR 5.148 tequila / agave spirits (LII).
- IBA Margarita (fetched 2026). NIAAA 1.5 oz / 40% and 5 oz / 12% (December 2025).
- No invented single ABV for “agave wine.” Read the SKU.