Wine Cellars | Wine Cooler Blog

Wine Types: Wine Bottle Sizes & Shapes

A client called me the other day inquiring about a wine cooler that could store Magnum bottles of wine. I knew a Magnum bottle of wine held about twice what a standard 750 ml bottle held, but I did not know what the specific bottle dimensions were. I needed a quick lesson on wine bottle sizes in order to respond to customer questions. What I found out is wine bottle shapes and sizes can vary by region, state, country and even wine type. Also, I came to realize that they are so many different bottle sizes that a single article about all of them would be impossible. Subsequently, I decided to concentrate my research on a few of the basic standard size wine bottles.

WINE BOTTLE SIZES

Most wine will come in a standard 750 ml. bottle and in fact this size bottle is the basis for naming many of the other bottle sizes. Wine cooler and chillers are typically sized to handle the standard 750 ml. bottle. Some of the standard sized wine bottles that you are most likely to come across are: Split (1/4 bottle, 0.1875 liters ), Half (1/2 bottle, 0.375 liters), Bottle (full bottle; 0.750 liters), Magnum (2 bottles, 1.5 liters), Double Magnum (4 bottles; 3.0 liters), Jeroboam ( 6 bottles, 4 ½ liters), Methuselah (8 bottles, 6.0 liters), Salmanazar (12 bottles; 12.0 liters), Balthazar (16 bottles; 12.0 liter), and Nebuchadnezzar (20 bottles; 15.0 l.). It is interesting to note that many of the larger sized wine bottles were named after Biblical Kings and other figures. The United States waited until 1979 to adopt the metric measurements for bottles of wine and use the 750 ml. standard bottle.

The Split size bottle stands about 7 ½ inches tall with a bottom diameter of about 2 ½ inches. These wine bottles are often used for desert and sparkling wines and are small enough to drink in one serving as they lose their fizz rapidly after opening. The most widely sold standard 750 ml. bottle stands about 11 ½ to 12 inches high and is typically 3 ½ inches in diameter at the base. Magnum bottles stand about 14 inches tall and are around 4 inches in diameter. Jeroboam bottles stand 19 ½ inches tall with a base diameter of about 5 inches. The higher capacity bottles such as the Methuselah (22 inches tall) range upward in size to the Nebuchadnezzar that is 31 inches tall. Imagine picking up a bottle that is over 31 inches tall and pouring its wine into your delicate glass stemware.

WINE BOTTLE SHAPES

Wine bottle shapes are as varied as their sizes. Most wine producers opt for bottle shapes that are most appropriate for their wine. For example, Chianti and some other Italian wines come in a round-bottomed bottle encased in a straw basket. Champagne and other sparkling wines come in bottles that are thicker walled because of the excess internal pressures. Wine producers often choose a wine bottle shape strictly for marketing purposes. For that reason, a German Company uses a bottle shaped as a “house cat’” for a Riesling wine it produces.

WINE BOTTLE COLORS

There are several traditional colors that you will find being used in wine bottles. Dark green bottles are typically used for red wines (Bordeaux, Burgundy and Rhone). Mosel, Rhine and Alsace wines often use a lighter green or amber colored bottle. Clear bottles seem to be the most popular for white wines in many countries. Champagne is typically bottled in a dark to medium green color. Some wine producers also use colors relating to their individual marketing strategies.

FUTURE WINE PACKAGING

The future of wine packaging is wide open. Many producers are opting for cost reducing screw type caps instead of corks. Because the weight of the bottle approximates about 40 percent of the total bottled wine weight, plastic bottles and tetra packs are being explored as a lighter alternative that is cheaper to handle and ship. Packaging wine in lighter containers and exporting wine in bulk quantities then bottling it in smaller bottles closer to the point of consumption are all strategies being explored to improve wine sales and reduce shipping costs. Perhaps, the cost of a good imported French wine will become more affordable in the future.

Author: Ronald Senn, Vice President, Ideal Wine Coolers

Wine Storage Solutions: Avanti Wine Coolers & Beverage Centers

Ideal Wine Coolers is pleased to announce that a new product line has been added to our on line store. Avanti wine cellars, beverage centers, compact refrigerators and mini freezers compliment our other Danby, Haier, Vinotemp, EdgeStar and Summit wine and beverage coolers.

The Avanti wine bottle coolers can be used in counter top, free standing and under counter applications. Wine bottle capacity ranges from 8 to 166 wine bottles. Features that are available include French door designs, table top to pantry size classes, dual zone wine compartments, clear and mirrored glass doors, slide out shelves, interior lighting, auto defrost and more.

The Avanti compact refrigerators are perfect when space is an issue as in a apartment, condo or dormitory room. Avanti mini refrigerators range in capacity from 1.7 to 3.1 cubic foot capacity. Several models also incorporate a small freezer section that will aid in keeping your food properly preserved. Another Avanti appliance we carry is a unique ice maker water dispenser that will fit your kitchen counter top and make up to 30 pounds of ice per day.

We also carry two different Avanti Beverage Coolers. Our Avanti Side-by-Side beverage center model has dual zone storage for both beverage cans and wine bottles and is made for either free standing or under counter applications. The smaller Avanti beverage can cooler has a storage capacity of 3.1 cubic feet with a reversible door, adjustable shelves, auto defrost, stainless steel door trim and full range temperture control.

Ideal Wine Cooler’s original Mission Statement stated that we would continue to find more quality products to maximize the choices our customer has. We believe the Avanti products that we have added will provide our customers with the best possible range of choice.

ALSO CHECK OUT OUR HALLOWEEN SALE THAT IS ACTIVE UNTIL THE END OF OCTOBER. We have reduced pricing on our entire product line at our web store. Additionally, you can get additional bonus saving of $10 to $30 dollars off the reduced pricing. Any one purchasing more than a $750 cooler will also receive a FREE 1 year extended in home warranty that will add to the standard factory warranty. For details CLICK here.

Author: Ronald Senn, Vice-president, Ideal Wine Coolers

Wine Storage Solutions: White Wine Storage

White wines are some of my personal favorites. To store and serve white wine correctly, there are some unique wine characteristics that need to be considered. Important factors to consider are the wine type, the storage and serving temperatures, the storage humidity, aging goals, and basic storage environment (amount of light, vibration exposure, temperature variance, etc.).

Basic Wine Storage Requirements

Storage requirements that are basic to any wine are reasonably straight forward. You must keep your wine in a horizontal position to keep the cork moist. The storage location should be vibration free and provide protection from light and UV rays. Temperatures should be stable and optimally range from between 42 to 58 degrees F. with red wines stored at the upper part of the range and white wines the lower. Ideal storage would be in an environment where relative humidity is at least 70 percent. Finally, do not store wines where their corks can pick up strange odors from a source like a stinky cheese or worse.

Common White Wine Types

Some the most common white wine grapes include Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc, Gewurztraminer, Pinot Gris, Pinot Grigio, Riesling and Sauvignon Blanc. Other popular white wines include Semillon, a favorite dessert wine, and Viognier, primarily grown in France and California. California is the primary state where white wines are made, but other important growing states include New York, Oregon and Washington.

White Wine Storage Temperatures

You should always store and serve white wines colder than your red wines. Most people recommend storage temperatures between around 42 degrees to 48 degrees F. Wines, such as Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc and Champagne are best stored at the lower end of that range. Remember, storing temperatures for white wines are colder than their respective serving temperature. You should research the optimal temperature requirements for storing and serving your particular favorite white wine.

Caves or Wine Refrigerator?

Much of the wine made in France is stored in caves where stable temperatures are near 55 degrees F. Most of us in the United States do not have caves handy for this use. Manufacturer’s today offer many different styles and sizes of wine coolers and wine refrigerators that can provide a stable temperature, provide for horizontal wine bottle storage, reduce UV rays and run with little or no vibration. Wine coolers are also made that can provide dual temperature zones to store different classes of wine at their respective optimum temperatures.

Closing Advice

If you only occasionally grab a bottle of wine to enjoy with your dinner, your standard refrigerator will work fine for short term storage. If you like to keep a wine collection on hand to later select from or if you have intent to age your wine to improve its value and taste, investment in a wine cooler, cellar or refrigerator is what would be best for you. No matter what you decide, I only offer this last bit of advice: buy the wine that you like, store it correctly, serve it at its best temperature and enjoy it to the last drop.

Author: Ronald Senn, Vice-president, Ideal Wine Coolers, June 2011