Grapevine: Understanding Today’s Wine Bottle Through its History and Dynamics
Our family was over for dinner last week and we were enjoying one of my wife’s new chicken recipes and a bottle of Austrian Grüner Veltliner. My granddaughter noticed the wine bottle on the table and asked what was in the bottle.
“Grape juice,” I replied. To which she responded: “But it’s not in a juice box.”
Hmm, from the mouths of babes come inspirations for wine column subjects.
Have you ever wondered how wine bottles evolved to their present-day shape, color and size? Let’s review the physiology of the wine bottle.
Shape: Early Greeks transported wine in amphoras, two-handled ceramic jars with a narrow neck, wide body and pointed bottom. This shape served an additional purpose: an easy pouring spout for filling wine vessels. When glass-blowing became popular in the 16th century, the present-day compact and portable bottle shape began to take form.
When you peruse the shelves and racks at your local wine shop, there is a helpful key to identifying the type of wine that is in the bottle; think of it as an early-detection system. Here are the five basic shapes:
First is the Bordeaux bottle, distinguished by its straight sides and tall, rounded shoulders. This bottle typically identifies the contents as one of the Bordeaux varietals: Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Malbec (or a blend) for reds and Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon and dessert wines for the whites.
Second is the Burgundy bottle, with sloping shoulders and a slightly broader bottom than the Bordeaux bottle. This shape is typically used for the two prime varietals of the region: Chardonnay and Pinot Noir (the wines of the Loire Valley are also typically stored in this shape).
Third is the Rhone bottle, with a shape similar to the Burgundy bottle, but with more angular shoulders and a bit slimmer. If a bottle displays a coat of arms on the neck it is specifically from the Rhone subregion of Châteauneuf du Pape. Outside of the Rhone Valley, this shape typically indicates Syrah and Grenache for reds and Viognier, Marsanne and Roussanne for whites.
Fourth is the Champagne bottle. Here, invention is the mother of necessity. The walls are much thicker than other bottles and there is a large dimple in the bottom – to adequately control the pressure in the bottle (which is three times greater than that inside a car tire).
Fifth is the German and Alsatian bottle, very distinctive for being taller and narrower than other bottles, and having a very gentle slope to its shoulders. You won’t have any difficulty identifying bottles of Rieslings or Gewürztraminer.
Color: Light can be detrimental to the life and quality of bottled wine. Hence, most bottles of red wine are made of dark green glass and white wine a lighter green – a logical choice since red wines are aged longer than whites. Some German and Italian wines are stored in brown glass bottles. Many white and dessert wine bottles are made of clear glass, meant to be displayed naturally – and not generally expected to be aged for extended periods.
Size: The standard size (750ml/25.4 oz.) has remained constant since 16th century glassblowers first began producing bottles. As legend has it, the volume capacity of today’s bottle was a direct function of the glassblower’s lung capacity to blow a single bottle. Larger bottles range in size from magnums (equivalent to two bottles) to bottles with Biblical references: Methusaleh (eight bottles), Salmanazer (12 bottles) and Nebuchadnezzar (20 bottles).
The Old World practicality that dictated the shape, size and color of wine bottles is not as compelling today and I see several changes looming. Wine boxes haven’t yet caught the widespread imagination of consumers, but they are gaining in popularity. Likewise, Tetra Paks (juice boxes) and even metal cans are coming into the market. Who knows, I may soon be sharing a juice box format with my granddaughter, but I’d miss the clinking sound of glasses when toasting. Somehow I don’t think I’d get used to the sound of plastic on plastic.
Nick Antonaccio is a 40-year Pleasantville resident. For over 20 years he has conducted wine tastings and lectures. He also offers personalized wine tastings and wine travel services. Nick’s credo: continuous experimenting results in instinctive behavior. You can reach him at nantonaccio@theexaminernews.com or on Twitter @sharingwine.
