Wine bottles are highly attractive in functionality and design. However, what information does the anatomy of a bottle of wine convey? The anatomy of a bottle conveys important information about the contents within.

A man looking over an amazing selection of wine bottles!
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Size, shape, and color provide general characteristics about region of origin and grape variety used. Furthermore, integrating mental marketing to encourage purchase. The information added to the label gives more detailed specifications of the wine.

It was not until 1970 that the European Union prevailed in the standardization of wine bottles and then the wine producing entities around the world adapted to it. When these bottles were blown by hand there was always a variation between them, but since the industrial and technological advancement came and began to be made in series, the exact reproduction of the bottles by content capabilities was more real. The standard bottle in most countries is the 750-milliliter capacity.

Anatomy Of Wine Bottles:

When you see a bottle of wine, perhaps you have asked yourself, why do they have that shape or color? If you had not asked and now we have planted the doubt, well the reasons for their particular shape are:

 

The anatomy of a bottle conveys important information about the contents within. Size, shape, and color provide general characteristics about region of origin and grape variety used.

The head or beak:

Referring to the top of the bottle. Carefully inspecting a bottle, the neck is reinforced, much thicker than the rest of the bottle. Ultimately for the purpose of withstanding pressure caused by the cork.

The neck:

It is the same thing as the human body, this part connects the head with the rest of the wine bottle and it is there where the cork and the plastic capsule are placed to protect the stopper.

The shoulder:

It is the height at which the bottle begins to widen.

The body:

Containing the wine, the body makes up the majority of the bottle. With glass in various colors depending on the wine content, besides being the place where the label or dress is pasted.

The label:

It is where all the information of the wine content, the name, and the brand appears.

The heel or foot:

The base of the bottle. The heel or foot refers to the lower area of the bottle. A concave shaped bottom caves inward including variable depth; ensuring the bottle resistant to blows. And should be easier for any residue to stay there, also allowing the wine serving to be an activity more elegant by introducing there the thumb.

The importance of the size of the bottle

The size of the bottle of wine is not only determined by the capacity or the presentation in volume, this also has characteristics referring to the evolution and conservation of the wine. Since the 70s the standard size of a bottle of wine is 750 milliliters, although it does not mean that it is the only bottle capacity.

  • Under the standard measure, there are two types of a wine bottle: The Piccolo or reckling of 187.5 milliliters and the half bottle of 375 milliliters.
  • And above the standard size, are there are Magnum of 1.5 liters, Double Magnum of 3 liters, Jeroboam of 4.5 liters, Imperial of 6 liters, Salmanazar of 9 liters, Baltasar of 12 liters and Nebuchadnezzar of 15 liters.

Larger presentations are better for aging the wine because the level of oxygenation is better, which is why many wine collectors opt for bottles with more capacity.

Corks have been the traditional wine bottle stopper for centuries, however, Twist top wines have become common.

What does the color of the bottle indicate?

You have already seen that the wine bottles are some made of transparent glass and others of color. These differences stem from the past. Wine makers intentionally dyed the glass, in order to protect wines from sunlight. Proving then, that green was the color that best filtered the rays of sunlight popularizing its use. Historically, winemakers dyed bottles in amber, blue or black.

Currently, the colors of the wine bottles beyond filtering UV rays are more targeted for aesthetic or marketing issues. Transparent glass is highly strategic in showing striking colors of whites and pinks. Darkened bottles are synonymous with higher quality content.

Now, knowing now so many details about the wines and their containers you will have a greater perception of the content just by looking at the bottle. And you only have to taste the best wine in the best places to enjoy it with friends or family, and of course, you cannot miss it in the most special occasions or for business meetings.

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