Bottle Sizes
The standard wine bottle size is 750ml or about five 5oz glasses. It wasn’t always this way. But thanks to Napoleon and his quest for standardization and taxation, the 750ml bottle size became a way to simplify trade and calculations.
The main trading partner of wine with France at the time was England, and the 750ml made an easy conversion to the imperial gallon which was used by the English. Six bottles of 750ml equals one gallon. And today, the standard case configuration for most wines under $40 is 12 bottles. Beyond that, they usually come in 6 packs.
As some stories go, the bottle size had to do with the volume of air in the lungs of a glass blower. But there is little historical proof of this.
Pricing is often questioned when it comes to different bottle sizes. People often ask why a half bottle doesn’t cost exactly half the price of a standard, or why a 1.5L bottle costs more than twice that of 750ml. This is because half bottles use twice as many labels, closures, and actual bottles. But they are a perfect way to start a meal!
One and a half litre bottles are equally hard to find as half bottles, and are most sought after by collectors and lunch time bon vivants!
Bottle sizes can, and do, grow to extreme volumes and each size has an historical biblical reference.
The 1.5L bottle is called a magnum. But you don’t have to have a moustache or a Hawaiian shirt to drink from this size.
From there: The Jeroboam: In Champagne, Burgundy and the Rhône a Jeroboam 3 litres of wine or 4 standard bottles. In Bordeaux, a Jeroboam holds 4.5 litres, equivalent to six standard bottles. Jeroboam was the first king of the northern kingdom of Israel.
The Rehoboam: Often used for Champagne, other sparkling wines, and premium red wines in regions like Burgundy, this bottle holds 4.5 litres, or 6 standard bottles. The name "Rehoboam" is derived from a biblical king, the son of Solomon and grandson of David.
The Methuselah: Also known as an Imperial, this holds 6 litres or 8 standard bottles, a size that helps wine age tremendously well. Methuselah, a prominent figure in the Old Testament, was known for his long life living to be 969 years of age!
The Salmanazar: This size is commonly associated with Champagne but can also be found for other wines like Bordeaux and Burgundy. It holds 9 litres, or 12 standard bottles. The name Salmanazar is derived from an Assyrian king.
The Balthazar: The name comes from one of the three wise men, so likely best to bring this bottle to Christmas dinner! It holds 12 litres, or 16 standard bottles.
And finally, The Nebuchadnezzar: holding 15 litres or 20 standard bottles, it is named after King Nebuchadnezzar II, a powerful Babylonian ruler. But for a more up to date reference, the ship that Morpheus captains in the movie the Matrix is also called the Nebuchadnezzar.
Of course, like anything in wine there are always a few more obscure bottle sizes, but these are the most common.
And as important as size can be, it’s what’s inside that counts!