If the majority of bottles of wine we buy are standard size, there are however different formats: Jeroboam, Mathusalem, Magnum ... Let's discover the names of wine bottles according to their size, as well as their capacity.
The 75 cl bottle: standard size
We are all used to buying wine in a 75 cl bottle. This standard size can however surprise. Why 75cl and not 1 liter? It would seem more logical, but this format of course has an explanation.
The reason for such a capacity comes from the 19th century, at the time when the greatest importers of French wines were none other than the English. Only their metric system was different from ours, and to quantify the wine, transported in barrels, we then used as a unit of measurement the " Imperial Gallon ». A gallon representing 4,54609 liters, it was very complicated for traders to make the conversions.
English traders therefore designed a container that made it possible to obtain a round account, both for the English and for the French. Thus, a barrel represents 300 bottles of 75 cl, and this capacity quickly became a European standard.
Furthermore, if the wine is often sold in a lot of 6 or 12 bottles, it is simply becauseA gallon is worth 6 bottles of 75 cl.
Jeroboam, Magnum and Mathusalem: fairly widespread formats
Obviously, there are many others Wine bottle formats, that we know more or less well. It is not uncommon to see larger bottles during happy events, but do you know their names and container? And did you know that the Name of wine bottles varied according to the origin of the wine (Burgundy, Rhône and Champagne on one side, and Bordeaux on the other)?
the Jeroboam
Taking its name from 2 kings from Israel, the Jeroboam has a capacity of 3 liters for Burgundy, Rhône and Champagne, which corresponds to 4 bottles or 24 glasses. On the Bordeaux side, the jeroboam contains 4.5 l, and the 3 L bottle is called a double magnum.
the Magnum
The only bottle not taking its name from the Old Testament, the Magnum has a capacity of 1.5 l, or 2 bottles or 6 glasses.
the Mathusalem
6 L bottle for Burgundy, Champagne and Rhône (8 bottles or 48 glasses), Mathusalem bears the name ofImperial For Bordeaux. Mathusalem was the oldest character in the Old Testament.
Other unknown formats of wine bottles
If the Jeroboam, the Mathusalem and the Magnum are the 3 big ones best known bottle formats, there are also other, larger, but also smaller capacities. Among the smallest bottles of wine, there are:
- The piccola (20 cl);
- The chopine (25 cl);
- The girl (0.375 cl), which is also called "half-bottle".
On the side of large bottles of wine, we recognize:
- the Rehoboam (4.5 liters, or 6 bottles);
- the Salmanar (9 liters, or 12 bottles);
- the Balthazar (12 liters, or 16 bottles);
- the Nabuchodonosor (15 liters, 20 bottles);
- the Melchior (18 liters, or 24 bottles).
Finally, the biggest bottle of wine is " maximus ». It can contain 570 liters.
To celebrate an event with many guests, or simply for the pleasure of having beautiful bottles of wine, the Berne Castle offers you rosé wines, red wines and white wines at Bottle, Magnum, Jeroboam and Mathusalem formats.
