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Wine & Spirits

Bottle Size Names

Size in Milliliters
and Liters
Number of Bottles
Name Still Wine
Name Sparkling Wine
187 ml.
1\4
Split
Split
375 ml.
1\2
Half Bottle
Half Bottle
500 ml.
3\4
Half liter
Half liter
750 ml.
1
Bottle
Bottle
1.5 L.
2
Magnum
Magnum
2.25 L.
3
Marie-Jane
---
3 L.
4
Double Magnum
Jeroboam
4.5 L.
6
Jeroboam
Rehoboam
6 L.
8
Imperial
Methusalah
9 L.
12
---
Salmanazar
12 L.
16
---
Balthazar
15 L.
20
---
Nebuchadnezzar
18 L.
24
---
Zara Thrustra

0.187: Used mostly by airlines and sold by retailers more as stocking stuffers at Christmas. Although some good quality non-vintage Champagne is put in this size, the still wines in this size are usually the moderate quality wines of large domestics wineries.

0.375: A size popularized by restaurants to serve one or two people and also somewhat popular with retail customers as a trial size. Commonly called a "Split." Although many top quality wines of all types are put into half bottles, they are rarely cellared because of their "too fast" aging cycle compared to standard and larger size. The advent of 'wine by the glass' has also reduced its popularity. This is best used for sweet dessert wines where it can serve up to four people.

0.500: The standard bottle size for Tokaji, the great dessert wine of Hungary. Recent attempts to popularize it as a size for two people wishing to exercise moderation have not met with much success in the United States.

0.750: The standard bottle. Legend says its size was determined by the size a bottle conveniently blown by a glassblower's lungful of Air. It is sometimes called a fifth because it is about on fifth of a gallon.

1.5: The 'magnum' is the most popular large format size. For still wines its popularity is due mainly because of wine's ability to age longer with a consequently greater development of complexities than wine in standard bottles. Interestingly, this size is mostly seen in either the most exclusive, age worthy wines where they charge more than for two standard bottles, or the least expensive wines where they charge less than two standard bottles. For sparkling wines at large gatherings it is impressive yet still easy to handle. At one time, it was less expensive than buying two .750 bottle, but larger bottles for cellared has become more popular.

2.25: No longer used for still wines and never used for sparkling wines.

3: For still wines it is called a double magnum. For sparkling wines it is called a Jeroboam. This is a popular large format for both still and sparkling wines. Only the best still wines will be put into double magnums for the purpose of decades of aging. For sparkling wines, it is a most impressive site at special celebrations, it is reasonably easy to pour from and is the largest size that is fermented in its own bottle (see below) and cellared for aging.

4.5: For still wines it is also called a Jeroboam. For sparkling wines it is called a Rehoboam. This is not a particularly popular size today.

6: For still wines it is called an Imperial. For sparkling wines it is called a Methusalah. This is a popular large format size for both still and sparkling wines. Only the best still wines will be put into Imperials for the purpose of decades of aging. For sparkling wines, it is a most impressive site at special celebrations but it is not easy to pour from and rarely cellared for aging.

9, 12, 15, 18: It is not uncommon to see names interchanged between wines and champagne. These bottle sizes are popular for restaurant display. Often the wine inside is "generic", not for consumption but for display purposes.

Wineries today also produce the larger size bottle, not for sale directly to the public, but for charity auctions. Collectors pay top dollars for this sizes.

Every Day Nomenclature In The Shop:
The names from the table above routinely used to describe each size are different for each size. Listed below are some general observations of 'shop talk' nomenclature. Note that although magnum is equally popular as its abbreviation 'mag', milliliter is usually abbreviated as 'mill' or left out entirely.

  • 0.187 liter: Mostly called be its name, a 'split.'
  • 0.3765 and 0.750 liter: Called equally by their name or their size in milliliters.
    For example, a 0.750 liter will usually be called a :
    a. 'bottle'
    b. 'seven fifty'
    c. 'seven fifty mill'
  • 0.500 liter: Mostly called by its size in milliliters.
    a. 'five hundred'
    b. 'five hundred mill'
  • 1.5 liter:
    1. For quality wines, usually called by its size name.
    a. 'mag'
    b. 'magnum'
    2. For lesser quality wines, usually called by its size in liters.
    a. 'one point five'
    b. 'one point five liter'
  • 3 liter: Called equally by its name or size liters.
    a. 'three liter'
    b. 'double mag'
    c. 'double magnum'
  • Greater than 3 liter: Called mostly by its name.

Champagne Nomenclature and Methods of Production:
For champagne and Methode Champenoise bottles less than 750 ml and greater than 3 liter (Jeraboam), the wine is not made in the bottle you buy. The procedure is called transversage. Following disgorgement, the wine is put into pressurized tanks, the dossage added, and the wine bottled in the giant and small formats .

Back to Wine Index

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