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Wine can come in a variety of bottle styles and sizes – you can find small bottles that can offer just one small glass of wine and larger bottles that can contain over 10 glasses of wine, and you can find bottles with a gently sloping shoulder and bottles with a rigid shoulder.
Read on to learn all about the different types of wine bottles.
Different Wine Bottle Sizes
| Bottle Type | Capacity | Number of Glasses |
|---|---|---|
| Split/Piccolo | 187.5ml | 1 |
| Half/Demi | 375ml | 2-3 |
| Standard Size | 750ml | 5-6 |
| Magnum | 1.5L | 10 |
| Double Magnum/Jeroboam | 3L | 20 |
| Rehoboam | 4.5L | 30 |
| Imperial | 6L | 40 |
| Balthazar | 12L | 80 |
| Nebuchadnezzar | 15L | 100 |
Different Wine Bottle Styles
Bordeaux Bottle
The Bordeaux bottle is the most common wine bottle. This standard bottle originated in the Bordeaux region of France and is characterised by its classic shape and body. It is cylindrical with relatively high shoulders and straight sides.
Wines you may find in a Bordeaux bottle include:
- Cabernet Sauvignon
- Merlot
- Most wines
Champagne Bottle
Champagne bottles are easily recognisable - they look like Bordeaux bottles but have notably thicker glass. This is because Champagne bottles contain Champagne and other sparkling wines, and have to resist the high pressure. If the glass was much thinner, then it may not be able to deal with the pressure from the fizz and may smash.
Burgundy Bottle
This type of bottle is similar to the Bordeaux but has smoother shoulders and a longer bottleneck. They also usually have a slightly larger body to make up for the longer neck, perfect for drinking red wine and white wine.
Wines you may find in a Burgundy bottle include:
- Chardonnay
- Pinot Noir
- Sauvignon Blanc
Port Bottle
The bottle shape is similar to a Bordeaux bottle, with high shoulders. However, most Port bottles feature a noticeable bulb in the neck. The bulb is designed to catch any sediment as you pour the wine.
Port bottles usually hold fortified wines and dessert wines such as:
- Port
- Madeira
- Sherry
Alsace Bottle
Alsace bottles feature a tall and thin body. The bottleneck blends in perfectly with the rest of the bottle, making a streamlined shape.
Alsace bottles usually contain Riesling. German Riesling typically comes in green Alsace bottles, whereas French Riesling usually comes in brown bottles. Learn more about Riesling here!
Provence Bottle
Provence or Côtes de Provence wine bottles come from Côtes de Provence, which is a region known for producing delicious rosé.
You may find some rosé wines in Provence bottles - they are different to the other bottle shapes as they have a rounder bowling pin shape. The shape also somewhat resembles an hourglass, dipping slightly in the lower middle of the bottle.
Different Wine Bottle Colours
Wine bottles come in several colours, the most common being green, brown/ amber, and clear.
Green
- Perfect for white wine and a selection of red wines such as Pinot Noir
- Also great for storing Champagne
- Provides some protection from UV light
Brown
- Offer the most protection from UV light
- Perfect choice for wines that require ageing
- Great for reds such as Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot
- Some whites such as Chardonnay also come in brown bottles
Clear
- Clearly show the colour of the wine
- Great for young, crisp white wines
- Perfect choice for storing sparkling wines
- Not ideal for ageing
- Offer minimal protection from UV light
You can store your glass bottles safely in a wine fridge. Whatever type of wine bottle you have, we have the perfect wine storage solution for you. Check out our selection of top-quality wine coolers here.