Welcome > Peruse the wine > Bottle formats and labels
Everything you need to know about bottle sizes, the level of a wine, labels
All of these are fundamental elements to appreciate the quality of a bottle as a wine connoisseur…without even opening it! This section aims to help you quickly recognise the products with a quality that matches your desires.
THE DIFFERENT BOTTLE FORMATS
The bottle plays an important role in how a wine ages. Moving on from a bottles spherical shape, it was redesigned in the 18th century to the cylindrical shape we know today to aid storage and preservation (due to better contact between the wine and the cork. There are different bottle formats. In general, the larger the size of the bottle, the longer the wine can be stored. Because of this, a half-bottle will reach its uncorking window a lot quicker than a magnum. This difference is due to the way oxygen reacts differently depending on the volume of wine present. Each region has its own bottle shape. The Bordeaux bottle (a straight-sided bottle with high shoulders) is the most popular one. Burgundy and the Rhône Valley use heavier, wider bottles. Meanwhile, Alsace bottles are longer and thinner.
Bordeaux
- Half-bottle 0.375 Litres
- Bottle 0.75 Litres
- Magnum 1.5 Litres
- Jeroboam 3 Litres
- Rehoboam 4.5 Litres
- Methuselahs 6 Litres
- Salmanazar 9 Litres
- Balthazar 12 Litres
- Nebuchadnezzars 15 Litres
- Salomon 18 Litres
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Burgundy
- Half-bottle 0.375 Litres
- Bottle 0.75 Litres
- Magnum 1.5 Litres
- Jeroboam 3 Litres
- Rehoboam 4.5 Litres
- Methuselahs 6 Litres
- Salmanazar 9 Litres
- Balthazar 12 Litres
- Nebuchadnezzars 15 Litres
- Salomon 18 Litres
Rhône
- Half-bottle 0.375 Litres
- Bottle 0.75 Litres
- Magnum 1.5 Litres
- Jeroboam 3 Litres
- Rehoboam 4.5 Litres
- Methuselahs 6 Litres
- Salmanazar 9 Litres
- Balthazar 12 Litres
- Nebuchadnezzars 15 Litres
- Salomon 18 Litres
Champagne
- Half-bottle 0.375 Litres
- Bottle 0.75 Litres
- Magnum 1.5 Litres
- Jeroboam 3 Litres
- Rehoboam 4.5 Litres
- Methuselahs 6 Litres
- Salmanazar 9 Litres
- Balthazar 12 Litres
- Nebuchadnezzars 15 Litres
- Salomon 18 Litres
Jura & Alsace
- Half-Clavelin 0.365 Litres
- Clavelin 0.63 Litres
- Bottle 0.75 Litres
- Magnum 1.5 Litres
Other formats
- Marie-Jeanne2 Litres
- Dame-Jeanne 3.87 Litres
LEVEL OF WINE IN THE BOTTLE
The level of a wine in the bottle is a crucial element in determining its quality, how it was preserved and the how air-tight and leak-proof the cork is.
When ageing wine, the cork should be airtight and allow some evaporation. Regularly checking the level of the bottles is a an excellent way to
assess the quality of the cork. Generally speaking, the level in the bottle reflects how the state of the wine.
- Normal
- Low neck
- Very slightly low
- Slightly low
- High shoulders
- Mid level shoulder
- Low
THE LABEL
When buying a wine, a wine lover is not only confronted with a choice from a from an incredibly rich and diverse range, but they also have to know how to read a label, which in turn has to respect the legislation in the country of origin. It supplies a lot of information about the wine.
Up until 1728, transporting wine in anything but a barrel was not allowed and there was no label as such because barrels were marked simply with stencils. Placing labels on bottles started at the end of the 18th century. The 19th century then became the golden age for labels as they were geniuine works of art. At the time, some Bordeaux merchants used their own labels for wines that they aged and bottled. Baron Philippe de Rothschild created a tide of change when he started bottling the wine himself at the château in 1924. This was mentioned on the label guaranteed the origin of the bottles that had been missing up to this point.
How to read a label?
The name of the producer is an indicator of the quality of a wine. In long-standing winemaking regions, a property is consider a brand. Regions from outside of Europe also have estates producing a wide range of wines from different varieties. The name of the producer or the grape variety are more commonly seen on the label instead is what guarantees quality.
The vintage
The vintage is the year the grapes were harvested but it is not obligatory to mention on the label. Until the end of the 19th century, a wine’s vintage was written on the label by hand. For Champagne bottle, which are generally produced from a blend of several vintages, only exceptional years are turned into a single-vintage Champagne. On very old bottles, the vintage could have warn off or faded. Some producers like to stamp the cork with the vintage too.
Origin of the wine
It is mandatory that the label mentions where the country where the wine was produced. You might also see the name and the location of the vineyard plot on the label. This is the case in Burgundy in particular. The label also states the category that the wine falls into (table wine, regional wine, protected designation of origin).
Name of the producer
This is particularly important in Burgundy as several producers can work on the same vineyard plots in this region. The producer’s name is also stated on wine from beyond Europe.
RECORKING BOTTLES
Over time, a cork will lose its airtightness which endangers the quality of the wine. It can therefore be necessary to change a cork every 30 years. This delicate operation is often carried out by the largest and greatest producers. Undertaken by the cellar master, reconditioning a bottle is an important step for its survival. The new cork generally carries the year the wine was made as well as the year it was recorked. The bottle will then be recapped and given a new label.
Alsace
Region of production Name of producer Name of village Often mentioned, especially when its a grand cru. Name of appellation Varieties Vintage or year of production Name and address of the producer. Control number. Capacity. Alcohol percentage.
Champagne
Optional note. For Krug, the term “grande cuvée” indicates that the wine has been created from blending the reserve wines and Pinot Meunier. You might also see the words “Grand Cru” (17 communes are classed as such) or Grande Marque (which concerns 26 Champagne houses). Name of appellation Brand Must be mentioned for export Type of wine Brut means that the Champagne is very dry When it comes to sparkling wines in Europe, "brut" or "demi-sec" have to mentioned on the label. Capacity
Bordeaux
Name of wine Optional note. This can mean that its the first wine produced by the property for some vineyards. (Lynch Bages also produces a second wine) The term Château indicate that the entirity of the vineyard belongs to a property that grows and produces its wine. Please note: There currently doesn’t exist any legislation that defines the term “château”. Category of wine referencing the classifications made in 1855 for Médoc red wines Pauillac is the name of the appellation. The Médoc is separated into several appellations built around towns and villages. Pauillac is one of these along with Margaux, Saint-Estèphe, Saint-Julien, Moulis and Listrac. Must be mentioned for export. This means that the wine was bottled at the place it was produced. It is mandatory that the label mentions where the wine was bottled. Vintage or year of production
Burgundy
Name of the appellation. The main villages in the Côte d'Or are given their own appellation. Clos Saint Jacques is the name of the climat. The appellation’s whole name Name and address of the producer. It's worth noting as Gevrey Chambertin has over a hundred of them! Vintage or year of production