Bordeaux bottles have a long and interesting history. The bottle shape we associate with Bordeaux wine today is tall and slender, with high shoulders and a long neck. This style of bottle is believed to have been developed in the 18th century.
Before this time, wine was often bottled in a variety of containers, including amphorae, clay bottles, and even animal skins. Glass bottles were used as early as the Roman times, but they were expensive to produce and not widely available. As a result, most wine was transported and stored in barrels.
In the 17th century, the production of glass bottles became more widespread, and they began to be used for wine more frequently. However, the bottles were often made in a variety of shapes and sizes, which made storage and transportation difficult.
It wasn’t until the 18th century that a standard bottle shape began to emerge for Bordeaux wines. The tall, slender bottle with high shoulders and a long neck was found to be ideal for storing and aging wine. The high shoulders helped to trap sediment at the bottom of the bottle, and the long neck provided a convenient grip for pouring.
Today, the Bordeaux bottle shape is used not only for Bordeaux wines but also for wines from other regions around the world. It has become a symbol of quality and tradition in the wine industry.
Over time, the design of Bordeaux bottles has undergone some minor changes. In the early 19th century, for example, a punt, or dimple, was added to the bottom of the bottle. This was done to strengthen the bottle and make it less likely to break during transport.
In the mid-20th century, the shape of the bottle became slightly more straight-sided, and the shoulders were less pronounced. This change was made to improve the bottle’s stability during stacking and to reduce the amount of glass used in production.
Despite these changes, the basic shape of the Bordeaux bottle has remained largely the same for centuries. Today, the bottle is still considered the standard for storing and aging high-quality red wines. In fact, some wineries even use the bottle as a marketing tool, with the shape and label design becoming iconic representations of the wine.
Overall, the Bordeaux bottle is a testament to the history and tradition of wine production. Its design has been perfected over centuries of use, and it remains a symbol of quality and sophistication in the wine industry.