Wine Bottle Sizes: Names, Volumes and Rack Fit

The standard wine bottle holds 750 ml, and every other size is a fraction or a multiple of it. Decanter notes that strictly speaking only the 750 ml format is a "bottle," and that Bordeaux's wine council, the CIVB, says 750 ml was set as the standard in 1866.

This guide lists each format by name and volume, explains where names differ, and covers how size affects aging and rack fit. Volumes and names are from Decanter's wine bottle sizes guide and WSET.

What are the wine bottle sizes?

What are the sizes below a standard bottle?

Piccolo, quarter, split, snipe or pony: 187.5 ml or 200 ml, a quarter of a standard bottle, usually Champagne.

Chopine: 250 ml, mainly used in Bordeaux.

Half bottle, demi or fillette: 375 ml, half a standard bottle.

Jennie: 500 ml, regularly used for sweet wines such as Sauternes, Tokaj and Sherry.

Clavelin: 620 ml, a squat bottle unique to Vin Jaune from the Jura.

What is the standard wine bottle size?

The standard wine bottle holds 750 ml.

What are the sizes above a standard bottle?

Magnum: 1.5 liters, the equivalent of two standard bottles.

Marie Jeanne or tregnum: 2.25 liters, rare, and most often used for Port.

Jeroboam: 3 liters, four standard bottles. Bordeaux châteaux call a 3 liter bottle a double magnum.

Rehoboam: 4.5 liters, six standard bottles, the name Burgundy and Champagne winemakers use for that format.

Methuselah: 6 liters, eight standard bottles. Known as an imperial in Bordeaux.

Salmanazar (or Mordechai): 9 liters, 12 standard bottles.

Balthazar: 12 liters, 16 standard bottles.

Nebuchadnezzar: 15 liters, 20 standard bottles.

Melchior: 18 liters, 24 standard bottles.

Solomon: 20 liters, about 26.6 standard bottles.

Sovereign: 22.5 liters, 33 standard bottles.

Primat, Goliath or Paramount: 27 liters, 36 standard bottles.

Melchizedek or Midas: 30 liters, 40 standard bottles.

Why do wine bottle names differ?

Names change by region and by producer. Decanter says a Bordeaux jeroboam holds 5 liters (it was 4.5 liters in the past), while most of the world uses jeroboam for 3 liters. WSET lists the 18 liter bottle as a Solomon, where Decanter calls it a Melchior and puts Solomon at 20 liters, so check the volume in milliliters rather than relying on the name.

WSET also notes that EU legislation currently caps still wine bottles at 10 liters and sparkling wine bottles at 9 liters.

How does bottle size affect aging?

Larger bottles can age more slowly, because the ratio of wine to oxygen is greater. Decanter says this is why a magnum can affect a wine's development, and quotes Michel Drappier of Champagne Drappier saying the evolution of wine in magnum is slower and its aromas integrate more harmoniously.

This is one producer's view, not a guarantee for every wine. For when to open an age worthy bottle, see when is a wine ready to drink.

How do you fit different bottle sizes in a rack?

Check your rack's slot dimensions in its manual, because standard slots are made for standard bottles. Magnums and larger formats need larger or adjustable slots, so measure before you buy.

For rack options, see how to choose a wine rack and the best wine racks for collectors. For labeling bins and bottles, see how to label wine bins and bottles.

How do you track bottle sizes in your collection?

Record the bottle size for every wine, because size changes drink windows and storage. For sparkling styles and their usual formats, see types of sparkling wine.

Frequently asked questions

What is the biggest wine bottle?

Decanter reports that Guinness World Records recognizes a 4.17 meter bottle holding 3,094 liters, ratified in Lyssach, Switzerland in 2014. The largest format sold in standard naming is the 30 liter Melchizedek or Midas.

How many standard bottles are in a magnum?

Two. A magnum holds 1.5 liters.

How many standard bottles are in a jeroboam?

Four for a 3 liter jeroboam, which is the usual size. A Bordeaux jeroboam is 5 liters, so check the label.

Is a Methuselah the same as an Imperial?

Both are 6 liters, eight standard bottles. Imperial is the Bordeaux name, per Decanter.

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