I drink a little bit too much. About a bottle and 1/2
of wine every evening (5-6 glasses). I seem to need
this to get to sleep at night. However, I've been
waking up with terrible morning anxiety lately. Could
I be getting "the shakes" everyone talks about that
can only be quelled with more alcohol in the morning?

MORE alcohol?! I don't know about you but the LAST thing I want after a bottle of wine is another glass the morning after!
But, yes, I get the shakes and that sounds like what you have. I've found some toast or other light food seems to kill them when I occasionally drink too much.

Alcohol initially acts as a sedative and depressant, but several hours later has the effect of a stimulant on the body. That is why it is not advised to drink alcohol before bedtime for sleep. You will end up jittery in the morning, or up in the middle of the night.

I had the same problem. I was drinking too much (10+ bottles of beer) every night. I also take narcotic pain meds for chronic pain.

I would wake up at around 5 am with the shakes/jitters. Like an anxiety attack. I would need to take .5 mg of xanax to calm down - much the same as having a little "hair of the dog" by drinking in the am because xanax works the same way on the central nervous system that alcohol does.

I just thought it was the pain meds withdrawl after not taking any all night.

Recently I stopped drinking cold turkey (I had drunk the above amount for about 1 year). I had mild w/d's for about 3 days.

Now I don't have the panic/shakes/jitters when I wake up in the morning. I do however have a hard time sleeping thru the night, although this is getting better. I usually wake up about 3 times a night.

Anyway, yes, drinking too much will cause the symptoms you describe.