Why do Champagnes large-format bottles have biblical names?
No one is exactly sure of the reasons why larger format bottles were given biblical names. But, according to the Champagne expert Francois Bonal, winemakers in Bordeaux had been using the name Jeroboam for the four-bottle size since 1725. (It’s presumed they selected Jeroboam, the biblical founder of Israel who ruled from 931-920 BC because he is referred to as “a man of great worth,” as were the larger sized bottles). Bonal also explains that a Champagne Medieval poet, Eugene Destuche, mentioned several of these names in his poetry. The region of Champagne adopted the Jeroboam size and followed suit with larger format bottles developed in the 1940’s, continuing the practice of selecting biblical kings and patriarchs.
