Don’t Whine Over A Bottle Of Wine: Why Wine Bottles Come In Different Shapes

There are as many shapes of wine bottles in the world as there are wine labels. From tall and slender bottles to stout amber glass containers, there’s no dearth in the varieties.

However, the shape of a wine bottle not only contributes to the presentation of the drink but also says a lot about its history and tradition. This is why there’s more to a wine bottle than just its shape.

You may have mostly seen a Bordeaux, a burgundy or an Alsace/Mosel bottle, but there are many more shapes and sizes than just these three.

Here’s a quick run through of how each shape came about.

The Burgundy Bottle

Burgundy bottle was the first of the big three to become ubiquitous. It came into being sometime in the 19^th century and it’s commonly perceived that the slender curve design simply existed because it was easier to mold.

Once the bottle had materialized, the producers of burgundy poured and packaged their first white and red wines into it. These were the same producers who were responsible for creating the first of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.

Within a span of a few years, this shape of a wine bottle became the symbol of good Pinot and Chardonnay. These two grape flavors became all the rage among wine lovers and so did the burgundy bottle.

This bottle has adapted into one that’s fit to serve red similar to Pinot Noir. Even today, it’s being used to sell Gamay, Etna Rosso, and Nebbiolo. 

The Bordeaux Bottle

Soon after the pioneer of wine bottles—the Burgundy—came the Bordeaux. These varieties housed some of the most famous reds such as Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. It was only within some time that this bottle became an iconic standard of wine bottles across the world.

Its distinctive shoulders not only offer it an edge in shape but are also said to have prevented the sediments from pouring into glasses while decanting.

However it’s hard to say that this was the only reason why this bottle has a distinguished shape. For all we know, it could only be so that it could be differentiated from its ancestor, the burgundy bottle.

The Alsatian/Mosel bottle

It was only a few short years after the Bordeaux that the Alsatian/Mosel bottle came into the scene. It was originally used to store dry and sweet Riesling but it soon changed into a bottle of Gewürztraminer.

Much more delicate in shape than the first two, having the Alsatian/Mosel in your house was a true sign of high class. However, these bottles may have been designed as such because they were transported across the river Rhine.  

Since the commute was tough and the space limited, the wine bottles were shrunken in size so a large number could fit in the hull.

Regardless of which shape of bottle you prefer, it’s important that it safely stores the drink away from heat and oxygen to preserve the flavor as best as possible.

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