Wine Bottle Sizes - Bigger (Sometimes Smaller) is Better
Republished from my Winesite. Big bottles are fun!
They're great for parties, gala dinners, and of course especially for
celebrating special occasions. There are 13 different bottle
sizes. The larger sized bottles are produced in less quantity than the
standard size bottle, and are typically worth more than just the proportionate incremental size
price of the regular size bottle.
Champagne* is most popular and common in using larger bottles. We've all seen champions such as Formula 1 Race winners shaking and spraying the large bottles of Champagne from the winner's podium, the World Series and NBA locker rooms, and so on.... Moreso, we've seen the smaller format bottles which provide the convenience of portion size packaging such as for use on airplanes or as available in wine shops for individual dining or such as for picnics. Another great use of small format bottles is when conducting a tasting of several wines, smaller bottles allow for more choices. Our friend Andy M has been known to show up at a wine tasting with a six pack corrugated carton containing half-bottles (375ml) of quality vintage wines.
The magnum is a double sized bottle (1.5 liters) and is one of the best selling sized bottles for Champagne. Many California Cabernet Sauvignons, Red Bordeaux, and Red Burgundies are produced and collected in large (r) formats. It is generally accepted that wine will age better - longer, more gracefully and uniformly in a large format bottle - hence their popularity with collectors. There is also great novelty and fun in opening and serving a large bottle. Often for special occasions, one will have all the quests sign the label of a large bottle as the labels are proportionately larger with the large bottles allowing room for such celebratory signings. Look for large format bottles in the wine rooms and special bottle rack in quality wine shops.
The novelty of our Rick's large format bottles and labels from the vintage years of our kid's birth years was the basis for our feature in Wine Spectator Magazine. This provides a great combination of birth year wines and large formats for gala celebrations. (We're now monitoring the recent vintages, birth years of our new grandchildren).
rd Champagne Bottle Sizes
 |
| Millenium Vintage Release Salmanazar served at daughter Erin's wedding. |
Champagne* is most popular and common in using larger bottles. We've all seen champions such as Formula 1 Race winners shaking and spraying the large bottles of Champagne from the winner's podium, the World Series and NBA locker rooms, and so on.... Moreso, we've seen the smaller format bottles which provide the convenience of portion size packaging such as for use on airplanes or as available in wine shops for individual dining or such as for picnics. Another great use of small format bottles is when conducting a tasting of several wines, smaller bottles allow for more choices. Our friend Andy M has been known to show up at a wine tasting with a six pack corrugated carton containing half-bottles (375ml) of quality vintage wines.
The magnum is a double sized bottle (1.5 liters) and is one of the best selling sized bottles for Champagne. Many California Cabernet Sauvignons, Red Bordeaux, and Red Burgundies are produced and collected in large (r) formats. It is generally accepted that wine will age better - longer, more gracefully and uniformly in a large format bottle - hence their popularity with collectors. There is also great novelty and fun in opening and serving a large bottle. Often for special occasions, one will have all the quests sign the label of a large bottle as the labels are proportionately larger with the large bottles allowing room for such celebratory signings. Look for large format bottles in the wine rooms and special bottle rack in quality wine shops.
The novelty of our Rick's large format bottles and labels from the vintage years of our kid's birth years was the basis for our feature in Wine Spectator Magazine. This provides a great combination of birth year wines and large formats for gala celebrations. (We're now monitoring the recent vintages, birth years of our new grandchildren).
 |
| Horizontal
Selection of 1981 Bordeaux and
California large format bottles from Rick's Cellar Served at daughter Erin and Johnny's wedding Not shown: 1981 Chateau Palmer, Lynch Bages, Ducru Beaucaillou, Cos' d_Estournel, Chateau Beaucatel and Silver Oak large format bottles. |
 |
| Large format bottles in legendary chef's restaurant cellar in Chicago. |
| The 13 Standard Bordeaux/California Bottle Sizes | ||
| SPLIT Made only for Sparkling Wine. |
187 ml.
|
1/4 of a
standard bottle
|
| HALF-BOTTLE |
375 ml.
|
1/2 of a
standard bottle
|
| BOTTLE |
750 ml.
|
1 standard
bottle
|
| MAGNUM | 1.5 liters | Equal to 2 standard bottles. |
| DOUBLE MAGNUM | 3 liters | Equal to 4 standard bottles. |
| JEROBOAM - This is what Champagne and Burgundy call their 3 liter bottles. Equal to 4 standard bottles. | ||
| REHOBOAM | About 4.5 liters. | Equal to 6 standard bottles. |
| JEROBOAM | 5 liters | Equal to about 6 3/4 standard bottles. |
| IMPERIAL | 6 liters | Equal to 8 standard bottles. |
| METHUSALEM - This is what they call an "Imperial" in Champagne and Burgundy. | ||
|
SALMANAZER This one is a case of wine in one bottle. |
9 liters
|
12 standard
bottles.
|
| BALTHAZAR |
12 liters.
|
Equal to 16
standard bottles.
|
| NEBUCHADNEZZAR |
12 to 16
liters
|
Depending on
the country of origin this will be from 16 to 20 standard bottles.
|
| SOVERIGN |
50 liters
|
67 standard
bottles.
|
| The Standard Champagne* Bottle Sizes | ||
| Bottle Name | Bottle Equivalency | Capacity |
Split
|
1/4 bottle
|
18.7 cl
|
Half
|
1/2 bottle
|
37.5 cl
|
Bottle
|
1 bottle
|
750 ml
|
Magnum
|
2 bottles
|
1.5 l
|
Jeroboam
|
4 bottles
|
3 l
|
Rehoboam
|
6
bottles
|
4.5 l |
Methuselah
|
8 bottles
|
6 l
|
12 bottles
|
9 l
|
|
Balthazar
|
16 bottles
|
12 l
|
Nabuchadnezzar
|
20 bottles
|
15 l
|
 |
| Display of range of bottles
offered at Moet Chandon Champagne House in Epernay, Champagne, France |
* Of course Champagne refers to the wine region in the northeast corner of France known for its world famous sparkling wines. Only wines produced in this geographic area bear the trademarked Champagne designation and label. All others are 'sparkling wine'. Some now claim to be produced using the méthode champenoise reflecting the traditional method developed in the Champagne region over the centuries for applying secondary fermentation to gain the effervescence or 'sparkling' or bubbles in such wines.
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