Wine comes in different bottle sizes. Do they each have a name?
Wine bottle names and sizes relate to their fluid contents as measured in milliliters (ml) or liters (L). The typical bottle size for wine is a STANDARD 750 ml sometimes called a "bottle." Other wine bottle sizes are described in multiples of this standard (with some exceptions.)
A smaller half bottle, is called a "demi", "split" or "tenth" and contains 375 ml. Still smaller is the pony containing 189 ml of wine.
Larger bottle sizes begin with a Magnum equal to 2 bottles or a double Magmun with 4 bottles of contents. The Marie-Jean at 3 bottles is also called a Tregnum or Tappit Hen.
Jeroboam + comes in two sizes: Burgundy, Champagne at 4 bottle and Bordeaux, Cabernet Sauvignon at 6 bottle equivalents. Sizes larger than the Jeroboam are rare.
Rehoboam + Burgundy, Champagne 6 bottles.
Imperial (or Impériale) Bordeaux, Cabernet Sauvignon 8 bottles
Methuselah + Burgundy, Champagne 8 bottles
Mordechai + 9 bottles.
Salmanazar + Burgundy, Champagne 12 bottles
Balthazar ++ Burgundy, Champagne 16 bottles
Nebuchadnezzar + Burgundy, Champagne 20 bottles
Melchior ++ 24 bottles
Solomon + 20 bottles
Primate 27 bottles
Melchizedek + 30 bottles
Soverign 34 bottles
+ Christian Biblical name
++ From Christian folklore
Bottles larger than a Jeroboam are for mainly for show and are typically filled using wine poured from single 750ml bottles prior to sale. The amount of air between the cork and the contents called the air to wine ratio becomes a concern in some bottle sizes.
Bottle volumes for each name vary by wine, Champaign or port and different authorities cite different ratios. The values shown above are for reference.
