The names of different wine bottle sizes might sound a bit strange, with most of the larger sizes named after Biblical kings. So, it's no wonder why the different wine bottle sizes can be a bit confusing. Chances are, you'll never come across some of the largest format bottles because they're rare, but they are out there. Therefore, it helps to understand various sizes and volumes of wine bottles.
List of Different Wine Bottle Sizes
There are at least 16 different wine bottle sizes, beginning with the smallest, the Piccolo, and ending with the largest, which is the Maximus. While many bottle measurements are easily found and measured for height, it's difficult to get bottle sizing for the specialty bottles starting at the Melchior size.
1. Quarter Bottles, Split, or Piccolo
This bottle of wine holds 187.5 ml.
- It is quarter of a standard 750 ml bottle.
- It's about one 6-ounce serving of wine or just over one 5-ounce serving.
- Though you can find a few of the more expensive bottles of wine sold in quarters, this size is mostly used for Champagne and sparkling wine.
- These small bottles measure about 7½ inches tall and 2½ inches wide.
2. Demi or Half Bottle
A demi or half bottle of wine holds 375 ml.
- It holds just over 12½ ounces of wine.
- It provides just over two 6-ounce servings or 2½ 5-ounce servings.
- The bottle size dimension is 9½ inches tall and 2¼ inches wide.
- Dessert wines and sweet wines frequently come in half-bottle sizes.
- Standard wines sometimes come in half-bottle sizes as well. This is a great way to sample more expensive bottles of wine without springing for the cost of a whole bottle.
3. Standard Wine Bottles
This is your average wine bottle, and it contains 750 ml.
- It holds 25 ounces of wine.
- Full bottles contain just over four 6-ounce servings of wine or five 5-ounce servings.
- The size of the bottle height ranges from 11½ inches to 13 inches tall and about 3 inches wide across at the bottom.
- Most wine is distributed in standard bottles.
- Bottle shapes may vary depending on the type of wine it contains.
4. Magnum
A magnum holds 1.5 liters of wine. Magnum bottles often have slightly different shapes based on the type of wine to be bottled, such as Champagne, Bordeaux, or Burgundy.
- A magnum is the equivalent of two standard wine bottles.
- The bottle contains 50 ounces of wine.
- The bottle holds just over eight 6-ounce servings or 10 5-ounce servings, so it's perfect for parties.
- Most bottles are about 14 inches tall and 4 inches wide at the base.
- The size dimensions of the magnum bottle vary slightly depending on the bottle contents.
- Magnum sizes are good for parties and other gatherings because they are still relatively easy to pour.
5. Jeroboam or Double Magnum
A Jeroboam bottle that holds sparkling wine is 3 liters or four standard bottles. A Jeroboam for non-sparkling wines holds 4.5 liters.
- Jeroboam bottle volumes differ for sparkling and non-sparkling wines.
- A sparkling wine jeroboam or double magnum holds four standard bottles of wine.
- A non-sparkling wine jeroboam or double magnum holds six standard bottles of wine.
- Double magnums or jeroboams hold around 100 ounces of sparkling wine or 152 ounces of non-sparkling wine.
- The sparkling bottle holds just over 16 6-ounce servings or 20 5-ounce servings of wine.
- A non-sparkling bottle holds just over 25 6-ounce servings or just over 30 5-ounce servings.
- The size dimensions for this bottle are 18 inches tall and 5 inches wide.
6. Rehoboam
This sparkling wine bottle has the same volume as a non-sparkling Jeroboam: 4.5 liters of wine.
- It is used for Champagne and sparkling wines.
- It holds six standard bottles.
- It contains just over 152 ounces and just over 1 gallon of wine.
- It contains just over 16 6-ounce servings or 20 5-ounce servings.
- The size dimensions are 19½ inches tall with a diameter of 5 inches.
7. Imperial or Methuselah
The next biggest bottle of wine is an Imperial or Methuselah. This bottle holds 6 liters.
- The bottle is for both sparkling and non-sparkling wines.
- It contains just under 203 ounces or just over 1½ gallons of wine.
- It is equivalent to about eight standard bottles of wine.
- It holds almost 34 6-ounce servings or just over 40 5-ounce glasses.
- A Methuselah bottle stands around 22 inches tall.
8. Salamanzar
This bottle is 9 liters.
- It is for either sparkling or non-sparkling wines.
- It holds 12 standard bottles.
- Volume of wine is 304 ounces of volume or around 2¾ gallons.
- This is a case of wine in a bottle!
- It holds almost 51 6-ounce glasses or nearly 61 5-ounce glasses of wine.
- This bottle stands at just over 2 feet tall.
9. Balthazar
A Balthazar bottle holds 12 liters.
- It is either for sparkling or non-sparkling wines.
- It is the equivalent of 16 standard bottles.
- It holds 406 ounces, or slightly over 3 gallons of wine.
- The bottle measures about 28 inches tall.
10. Nebuchadnezzar
The Nebuchadnnezzar bottle holds 16 liters of wine.
- It is for both sparkling and non-sparkling wines.
- It holds a whopping 20 standard bottles of wine.
- It holds over 541 ounces of wine or nearly 4¼ gallons.
- It contains 90 6-ounce glasses or 108 5-ounce glasses.
- A Nebuchadnezzar bottle averages around 31 inches tall.
11. Melchior
If you are trying to buy a Melchior bottle, then you may have to really search for this size. It holds 18 liters.
- The Melchior is for sparkling and non-sparkling wines.
- It holds 24 standard bottles.
- It holds nearly 609 ounces of wine, or 4¾ gallons.
- That's more than 101 6-ounce servings or nearly 122 5-ounce servings.
- Because it is so rare to find this bottle, the size dimensions can't be confirmed but the height should be nearly 3 feet tall.
12. Solomon
A Solomon-sized bottle yields 20 liters.
- It is used for sparkling wines.
- It's the equivalent of about 26 standard-sized bottles of wine.
- That's more than 676 ounces or 5¼ gallons.
- It holds nearly 113 6-ounce glasses or 135 5-ounce glasses.
- This is typically used for Champagne, but the exact bottle dimensions are not available.
13. Sovereign
The sovereign-sized bottle contains approximately 25 liters.
- It holds 33⅓ standard-sized bottles of wine.
- It holds 845⅓ ounces, or more than 6½ gallons.
- That's almost 141 6-ounce glasses or 169 5-ounce pours.
- Sovereign bottles are primarily used for decorations or showpieces in wine cellars and restaurants since they're nearly impossible to pour.
14. Primat or Goliath
This bottle contains 27 liters of wine.
- It can hold either Champagne or Bordeaux.
- That's 36 standard bottles of wine in one gigantic bottle.
- It contains nearly 913 ounces or over 7 gallons of wine.
- That's more than 152 6-ounce pours or 182 5-ounce glasses.
15. Melchizedek or Midas
One of the biggest of them all, is the Melchizedek or Midas bottle. A Melchidezek bottle holds a staggering 30 liters of wine.
- Some say this bottle truly exists, while others say it's pure myth.
- That's 40 standard 750 ml bottles.
- That's more than 1,000 ounces of wine, or nearly 8 gallons.
- If it exists, you could get 169 6-ounce glasses or almost 203 6-ounce pours.
16. Maximus
Finally, the largest bottle ever, the Maximus, held 130 liters of wine.
- It held 184 standard bottles.
- It contained nearly 4,400 ounces of wine, or 34⅓ gallons.
- That's around 733 6-ounce or 880 5-ounce pours.
- It was created by Beringer Wine Company for a charity auction.
- It was recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records in 2004 for being the largest wine bottle created to that date.
Understanding Wine Bottle Size
Finding the dimensions for the largest bottles of wine is nearly impossible simply because many of these wine bottle sizes are rarely made and just as rarely sold at your local wine merchant. After you get past a double magnum, the larger sized aren't sold very often and are used for rare special occasions such as launching a new ship. Additionally, it would be difficult to pick up and serve the wine out of a 36-liter bottle. The large sized bottles are difficult to store and to maintain proper temperature control. Knowing bottle size is important as well as understanding the ideal serving standards for wine and Champagne of all sizes.
