KEY to Rick's Wine Journal

Key to Wine and Champagne Bottle Sizes


In Bottle Sizes...Bigger is Better
There are 13 different bottle sizes. The larger sized bottles are produced in less quantity than the standard size bottle, and are always worth more than just double the price of the regular size bottle. Champagne is most popular and common in using larger bottles. The magnum is a double sized bottle (1.5 liters) and is one of the best selling sized bottles for Champagne. Many California Cabernet Sauvignons, Red Bordeaux, and Red Burgundies are produced collected in these larger formats. It is generally accepted that wine will age better - longer, more gracefully and uniformly in a large format bottle - hence their popularity with collectors. There is also great novelty and fun in opening and serving a large bottle. Often for special occasions, one will have all the quests sign the label of a large bottle as the labels are proportionately larger with the large bottles. See Rick's large format bottles, labels and large bottle feature in Wine Spectator Magazine.
Chateau Lafite Rothschild 1961 Imperial - Signed (Right)

Big Bottle Display at Chateau Ducru Beaucaillou -
St Julien Beychevelle, Bordeaux

The 13 Standard Bordeaux/California Bottle Sizes

SPLIT
Made only for Sparkling Wine.

187 ml.

1/4 of a standard bottle

HALF-BOTTLE

375 ml.

1/2 of a standard bottle

BOTTLE

750 ml.

1 standard bottle

MAGNUM

1.5 liters

Equal to 2 standard bottles.

DOUBLE MAGNUM

3 liters

Equal to 4 standard bottles.

JEROBOAM - This is what Champagne and Burgundy call their 3 liter bottles. Equal to 4 standard bottles.

REHOBOAM

About 4.5 liters.

Equal to 6 standard bottles.

JEROBOAM

5 liters

Equal to about 6 3/4 standard bottles.

IMPERIAL

6 liters

Equal to 8 standard bottles.

METHUSALEM - This is what they call an "Imperial" in Champagne and Burgundy.

SALMANAZER
This one is a case of wine in one bottle.

9 liters

12 standard bottles.

BALTHAZAR

12 liters.

Equal to 16 standard bottles.

NEBUCHADNEZZAR

12 to 16 liters

Depending on the country of origin this will be from 16 to 20 standard bottles.

SOVERIGN

50 liters

67 standard bottles.

Display of range of bottles offered at Moet Chandon Champagne House in Epernay, Champagne, France

Horizontal Selection of 1981 Bordeaux and California large format bottles from Rick's Cellar
Not shown: 1981 Chateau Palmer, Lynch Bages, Ducru Beaucaillou, Cos' d_Estournel, Chateau Beaucatel and Silver Oak large format bottles.

Standard Champagne Bottle Sizes

Bottle Name	Bottle Equivalency	Capacity
Split	1/4 bottle	18.7 cl
Half	1/2 bottle	37.5 cl
Bottle	1 bottle	750 ml
Magnum	2 bottles	1.5 l
Jeroboam	4 bottles	3 l
Rehoboam	6 bottles	4.5 l
Methuselah	8 bottles	6 l
Salmanazar	12 bottles	9 l
Balthazar	16 bottles	12 l
Nabuchadnezzar	20 bottles	15 l