Wine Bottles - Shapes and Sizes

SHAPES

Years ago, wine producers created bottles that were unique to their growing area.  The Bordeaux bottle shape was used to hold the wines that were produced in that region and the same is true of the Burgundy shape.  The tall Hotch shape was used in Germany.  As wine spread throughout the world vintners continued the use of these shapes to market similar varietals.  While there are many other shapes for unique or special wines, these three shapes  in the 750 Ml size cover the vast majority of wines sold today.  Every year over a billion wine bottles are produced throughout the world and every day Gallo Wines manufacturers two million bottles.


Bordeaux

This is high shouldered and used for Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Semillon and other varietals
 Burgundy

This is slope shouldered and used for Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and other varietals
 Hotch  (Alsace)

This tall bottle is used for Riesling, Gewurztraminer and other mostly white varietals

Dom Perignon
 Another popular shape is the classic Champagne bottle.  This bottle has its own shape because of the extra glass required to provide the strength necessary to withstand the pressure from the wine.  And also to give room for the large punt in the bottom
Chianti Fiasco
 For years and years Chianti was sold in squat bottles shaped like the one pictured here.  This straw covered bottle is called a "Fiasco" and nurtured an image of cheap Italian table wine.  The high cost of hand weaving the straw has lead to the near demise of this delightful container.  Chianti is no longer considered a vino da tavola because all of Chianti is now in a DOCG region.  Today, nearly all producers use the Bordeaux style bottle.



SIZES

Here are the most common sizes.  Well, I guess bottle sizes Methuselah and larger are not really so common but the time may come just once in your life when it will be important to know just what is a Balthazar of wine.  You never know.  Perhaps a large dinner party.  Perhaps a question from Regis Philbin on "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire." Perhaps you can win a glass of Chateau Petrus during a trivia contest at your local watering hole.   Should that event occur, here it is.

SIZE
 BOTTLES
 METRIC
 U.S. OUNCES
 U.S. QUARTS
Split
 1/4 Bottle
 187 Milliliters
 6.3 Ounces
 1/5 Quart
Half
 1/2 Bottle
 375 Milliliters
 12.7 Ounces
 2/5 Quart
Bottle
 Bottle
 750 Milliliters
 25.4 Ounces
 4/5 Quart
1 Liter
 1 Liter
 1,000 Milliliters
 33.8 Ounces
 1 Quart
Magnum
 2 Bottles
 1.5 Liters
 50.7 Ounces
 1.6 Quarts
Jeroboam
 4 Bottles
 3 Liters
 101.4 Ounces
 3.2 Quarts
Methuselah
 8 Bottles
 6 Liters
 202.8 Ounces
 1.6 Gallons
Salmanazar
 12 Bottles
 9 Liters
 304.2 Ounces
 2.4 Gallons
Balthazar
 16 Bottles
 12 Liters
 405.6 Ounces
 3.2 Gallons
Nabuchadnezzar
 20 Bottles
 15 Liters
 507 Ounces
 4 Gallons
Melchior
 24 Bottles
 18 Liters
 60.7 Ounces
 4.75 Gallons

Volume rounding liberties were taken for simplification of presentation.
If precise measurements are required, go here:  http://education.yahoo.com/reference/weights_and_measures/index?p=volume


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Created 03/20/06