Today there are 12 basic shapes of wine bottles, not counting historical variations. For the average consumer wine, most wines come in bottles of one of three basic shapes – Burgundy, Bordeaux, and Alsace/Moselle. There is also a bottle for sparkling wine – generally referred to as Champagne. The main three bottles are named after the wine regions of France, so it can be said that this country is not only the mother of exceptional wines but also their glass houses. The Moselle bottle, better known in the oenological world as the Rhine bottle, thus defends the honeyed notes of German Riesling from the Rhine.
Basic bottles – 0.75 ml
Burgundy bottle – a bottle with gentler shoulders and style, which has been filled with both white and red wines since the 19th century, of course initially with Burgundians – Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Its body is slightly wider than Bordeaux. Elegant and refined, just like its inhabitants, this bottle today is almost exclusively reserved for white and rosé wines. There is a belief (not to say a theory) that the Burgundy bottle was the first mainly because glassblowers found its gentle transition from the neck to the body easier to master.
Bordeaux bottle – this is the bottle you will most often hold in your hand, regardless of which country you are in and which wine you are buying. It is not exactly known whether Bordeaux producers wanted to distinguish their wines from those of Burgundy, so they designed a different bottle. Or they simply designed a bottle with shoulders to retain sediment in that small “pocket” during pouring. In any case, we are happy today that they did so. These bottles have flat sides and high, distinct shoulders. These shoulders are excellent collectors and guardians of sediment during serving and pouring wine into glasses. Some sommeliers swear that it is even easier to hold and walk through the salon with it. In this bottle, you will always find the favorite Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. However, it is also used today for many other varieties and blends. The glass is usually a darker green/brown color.
Alsace/Moselle – also known as the Rhine bottle, it originated as the German answer to the Bordeaux bottle. It is both taller and thinner than other bottles, with slightly sloping shoulders and a flute-shaped body. Its original purpose was to store Riesling, both dry and sweet. At first glance, this bottle appears more polished and charming than others. However, that is not accidental – the main transport route for these wines was the Rhine River, which meant that smaller river boats would pick them up. Thinner glass and narrower bottles meant more space or the possibility of transporting a larger number of bottles. And the river has no waves like the sea, so Rhine bottles enjoyed a more composed and less turbulent journey. This could never be said for Burgundian and Bordeaux bottles during voyages across the English Channel from the French coast to Great Britain.
Champagne bottles – the first touch of this bottle reveals clear differences from others. Harder, thicker, and firmer glass results in a heavier bottle in which sparkling wine or Champagne lies. A classic Champagne bottle weighs on average about 900 grams. This standard was introduced not so long ago, in 1970, in none other than the Champagne region. About ten years ago, the entire Champagne region changed the standard of bottles – since then, each one is lighter by 65 grams. Doesn’t seem like much? And it isn’t, but if we remind you that about 300 million Champagnes are released onto the market annually, the savings are not small. In the production of new bottles, carbon dioxide emissions have been reduced by 7 percent, and a classic truck now holds 2400 more bottles! The Champagne bottle can be transparent or green, its walls are strengthened, and the bottom has a specially indented shape due to the pressure of carbon dioxide present in sparkling wines. There is three times more air pressure in this bottle than in an average car tire. In shape, it is very similar to the Burgundy bottle, but it has a visibly protruding ring on the neck for securing the cork with wire. The most refined things have always been kept in special ways!
Does the bottle affect the quality of the wine?
You will probably wonder at some point – will the shape of the bottle affect the quality of the wine? There is no precise answer, but somewhat yes. Differences in the shape of wine bottles are purely regional variations that are more related to glassblowing techniques than to wine flavors. The main change in sizes and shapes for wine bottles began to occur in the mid-18th century.
What mostly influenced the diversity of shapes and sizes of wine bottles was actually a simple cork! Crucial was the discovery by winemakers that cork could act as a sealing agent, allowing wines to age safely or at least not spoil. Both are, we know, of crucial importance.
However, size can affect quality. It was later discovered throughout history that larger bottles not only look better but can also change the taste of the wine to some extent. Larger wine bottles allowed the wine to age and develop over a longer period than standard sizes. So, it makes sense. Get to know all types of wine bottles, then judge for yourself – is size really important?
More space, more happiness
Larger wine bottles are suitable for longer aging of wine. Wine from a larger format bottle will slowly age and become more complex. It’s not rocket science – this happens because there is less air between the cork and the wine and a larger volume of liquid itself. (The air space between the wine and the bottom of the cork is called the ullage).
Bottles of very large format have another advantage. Due to the thicker glass and larger volume of liquid, they are less likely to experience temperature variations. Consistent temperatures are ultimately great allies to the wine in its endeavor to age more evenly.
Types of bottles by sizes and meanings of their names
- Magnum 1.5 L – “Large”
- Double magnum 3 L
- Jeroboam 4.5 L (6 standard bottles of wine) – “The first king of the kingdom”
- Rehoboam 4.5 L (same as Jeroboam but reserved for sparkling wines) – “The one who liberates”
- Imperial 6 L (40 glasses of wine) – “Royal”
- Methuselah 6 L – Same volume as Imperial but for sparkling wines – “The oldest man ever”
- Salmanazar 9 L (12 standard bottles) – “Assyrian king”
- Balthazar 12 L – “One of the wise men”
- Nebuchadnezzar 15 L – “king of Babylon”
- Melchior 18 L (120 glasses of wine) – “King of Light”
- Solomon 20 L (26 standard bottles) – “King Solomon, the wisest of all men”
Even more special bottles
Port bottle – essentially a Bordeaux bottle filled with port, sherry, and other fortified wines. They often have a thick wide neck that successfully traps excess sediment when pouring.
Chianti bottle – the traditional Chianti bottle (also called fiasco) is characterized by a wicker basket around the bulbous base. Original Chianti bottles are actually round at the bottom, and the basket is necessary for the bottle to stand upright on the table.
Interesting facts to finish
Light can affect some photochemical reactions in wine that will accelerate the aging processes of wine in the bottle. Red wines, richer in anthocyanins and other phenolic compounds, are more susceptible to these reactions. Therefore, wines that will age longer in the bottle should be filled in darker bottles (red wines are traditionally filled in dark brown bottles). Some white wines, especially those that will age longer in the bottle, are filled in green bottles.
The neck of all types of bottles is of standard dimensions due to the standard size of cork stoppers. At the opening, the diameter of the bottle is 18-19 mm, and 50 mm deeper in the bottle’s neck, the diameter is 20-21 mm.
Let’s mention the bottle’s bottom, the so-called punt. In old times, the punt indicated where the pontil was attached to the glass during production. It was recessed so as not to scratch the table and gave the bottle additional stability. Today, the punt is technically unnecessary, but it helps to settle the sediment from the wine and additionally strengthens the bottle. However, like most types of wine bottles, the punt remains popular primarily due to tradition. Remember, the bottle is never held by the bottom when pouring, but by holding it in the middle with the label facing the guest.