Of Jeroboams and Rehoboams – Is bigger better?

Large format wine bottles are synonymous with celebrations and special occasions, but their exact origins and odd biblical names are somewhat obscure. The most common examples are:

Name Litres X 750ml Bottles
Magnum 1.5 2
Double Magnum/Jeroboam 3.0 4
Rehoboam 4.5 6
Imperial/Methuselah 6.0 8
Salmanazar 9.0 12
Balthazar 12.0 16
Nebuchadnezzar 15.0 20
These names and sizes are fairly uniform worldwide.

While there is no clear reason for the naming of large bottles after biblical characters other than the historic connection between the clergy and the production of wine, there are many indications that wine bottles actually started out big, and shrank over time to the standard 750 ml size that we know today. This makes sense considering that clay amphorae, the precursor to glass bottles, varied in size between 9 and 26 litres!

The advantages of larger format bottles today are in many cases the same reason that wine was stored in larger vessels in ancient times. The larger the bottle, the smaller the surface-area-to-volume ratio because less of the wine is exposed to the small amount of air within the bottle. This significantly increases the longevity of the wine. Wine is protected from its environment by its own volume, whether it is temperature change or vibration: the larger the volume of the bottle, the more stable is its contents. To illustrate this, imagine two bottles: one small and one large, both frozen solid. Which one will thaw first?

There are many more reasons why larger bottles of wine are becoming increasingly popular. Apart from being sought-after collector’s items they make brilliant gifts for family, friends and business associates. But the simplest reason is probably still the best: they make you feel good, and that’s what wine is all about!

Due to the increased demand for larger format bottles Creation has released 1.5 litre, 3.0 litre and 5.0 litre bottles of our enormously popular Rhône-style blend, the 2012 Creation Syrah, Grenache. Simply click here to order.

What’s more, Creation Wine Club members are offered the opportunity to commission their own big bottles. So if you haven’t joined yet … sign up here.