Wine bottles come in various shapes and sizes. The bottle shape doesn’t make a difference in terms of impacting the wine’s flavor. The bottle chosen does often represent a good amount of history and tradition that reflects back to where the wine is made. These differences have been established by tradition, especially in France, and as wine production has spread to many regions of the world, producers almost everywhere adhere to these basics:
BURGUNDY BORDEAUX ALSACE CHAMPAGNE
These bottle types have become Generic for wines similar to the style typical of those regions.
The grand white wines of Burgundy are made of Chardonnay grapes to produce complex whites. Thus they are symbolic of Robust Whites. And by extension to most white wines. Most chardonnay-based wines, no matter the provenance, will use this bottle shape.
Likewise Bordeaux wines are known for hearty reds — usually blends of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc. These wines can be aged for years, while most whites are meant to be consumed right after bottling. Red wine from other regions usually copy this bottle type, whether single variety or blends.
Alsace and the Mosel regions of France border the Rhine with Germany. They produce German varieties mostly, Riesling and Gewurtztraminer. Also any “sweeter” white wines will often be found in this type of bottle.
The name “Champagne” is an internationally registered trademark and true champagnes can only be produced from that region of France. All others, even in France, cannot use the name. Even the California Sparkling Wine produced by French companies in Napa and Sonoma can’t use it. In certain regions of France such sparkling wines are known as Cremant and are often made with the same fermented in the bottle technique. They can be quite good.
Regardless of the location, almost all sparkling wines use the Champagne-style bottles. As seen in the image below, the bottom of the bottle can be either flat or have a Punt, the concave depression. Champagne bottles necessarily have a deep punt, primarily because it actually expands the surface area of the bottle and makes it stronger to handle the added pressure of the bubbly contents.
PARTS OF A WINE BOTTLE
Some other wine regions also have traditional and distinctive bottle styles. Some are more recognizable than others:
PROVENCAL ROSE
Portuguese Sparkling Rose
You should be able to recognize these French regional shapes and the type and style of wine inside. But of course there are many more unique bottle shapes, but no one should be expected to name them all.
AS IF that was not enough for the Student-Semollier to learn, each wine/region has its own style of glass. Like bottles there is a wide array of designated glasses.
Bottle Sizes
One more thing to learn and
finally there is something to this packaging and presenting that is fairly standardized in the wine industry:
I find it especially noteworthy that the really big bottles are named after Biblical figures, but in the days when these names were given, people knew that stuff.
Jeroboam — King o the Northern Tribes of Israel
Methuselah — Father of Noah, lived to be 969 years old
Salmanazar — the Assyrian king who overran the Kingdom of Israel in the 8th Century BC
Balthazar — one of the Three Wise Men that followed the Christmas Star to Bethlehem
Nabuchadnezzar — the Babylonian king responsible for destroying Solomon’s Temple (597 BC)
Some sizes are associated with a specific type of wine or serve a special purpose. For Example:
SPLIT usually associated with Champagne or Sparkling Wine. HALF bottles can be used with most wines, but like Splits are favored for picnics. Two flutes of sparkler or two glasses of wine encourages moderation while out in Nature.
Magnums are often used for Champagne and is generally believed to be the ideal size for secondary fermentation in the bottle. In fact Splits are not cellared as such, but are filled from Magnums when bottled.
The Biblical Bottles are mainly ceremonial for special occasions and may require a special order.