The type of bottles
To begin with, most of the time, the number of bottles indicated on wine cellar product sheets is based on the dimensions of a Bordeaux bottle. But whether you're a wine lover or an oenophile, you know that there are many different bottle shapes. Some are wider than others, taking up more space on your shelves. This reduces the capacity of your wine cellar.
Given the diversity of bottle formats, we can advise you to choose a wine cellar with a slightly higher storage capacity than the one you want.
A little history
In 1630, the knight Digby inventedthe thick, smoked glass bottle with a neck reinforced by a ring, which was to become the basis of the modern wine bottle. The different shapes of bottles can tell us a great deal about the origin of their contents. In some regions, the use of a specific bottle shape is mandatory, and contributes to the visual identity of the appellation. Nevertheless, many bottle shapes are victims of their own success and are used outside their place of origin. These include Bordeaux, Burgundy and Alsace bottles.
The bordelaise: straight and severe
The Bordeaux bottle is the most widely used bottle shape in France and throughout the wine world. It is found in the neighboring regions of the Southwest and Languedoc, as well as in South Africa, Chile, the United States, Italy, Crete, Austria and Hungary. This bottle shape can therefore hold a wide variety of wines. It is characterized by a straight cylindrical shape with a high shoulder and a short neck.
Burgundy: round and massive
This bottle is mainly used for Burgundy wines, but is also found, with a few variations, in Savoie, Loire, Beaujolais, Languedoc and the Rhône Valley. It has also traveled outside France to serve as a container for wines from Italy, South Africa and New Zealand. Its shape is reminiscent of a juggling club, with a shoulder in line with the neck. The whole forms a curve that leads to a heavier, more massive part than that of the Bordelaise.
The Alsatian flute: fine and elegant
This is the traditional Alsatian bottle. In the past, it was used in Germany to guarantee the origin and authenticity of a Rhine or Moselle wine. It was reserved for the Riesling grape variety. Today, many producers are seduced by the elegant shape of this bottle, so you can find wines that don't come from Alsace, the Rhine or the Moselle. Its delicate shape is characterized by a length that blends with the neck and barrel of the bottle.
Racks
The storage capacity of your wine cellar can also vary according to the number of racks it is equipped with. In fact, the capacity indicated on your wine cellar's product sheets is calculated according to the number of racks delivered with your wine cellar.
But for reasons of practicality or aesthetics, it is possible toadd new racks to those already present in your cellar at the time of purchase. Several rack formats are available. In any case, adding new racks will often reduce the storage capacity of your wine cellar.
Find all our available racks HERE.