What do the different shapes of wine bottles represent? Do they refer to varietal or type in any way?
Bottle shapes generally do represent the region or varietal to some degree. A Bordeaux bottle, for example, is narrow and has a defined “shoulder,” where it quickly slopes in to the neck. Contrast that with a Burgundy bottle: fatter and curvier, it gradually slopes into the neck so there’s no definite spot where the neck begins and the body ends. In Europe, bottles just evolved that way out of tradition. In the New World, most winemakers honor their European ancestors by using the bottle that matches with the grapes. However, there are plenty of exceptions. A winemaker may just decide to use a different bottle for the heck of it, so you’ll always need to check the label to confirm what the bottle’s shape tells you.
