The Triumphs and Trials of the Traditional Wine Bottle

            I spent the day visiting three Sonoma County producers to understand the business behind their bottle selection: specifically, how they choose their glass bottles, and generally, how they feel about them. The details around actually bottling the wine varied from winemaker to winemaker; for example, one noted that changing glass supplier (while keeping a consistent bottle type) would require investing $5,000 in new bottling machine parts. Another, however, claimed that as long as the bottle fell within certain industry norms (e.g., the width of the bottle neck fit standard corks), transitioning to a new supplier would not cause any issues. The price they paid for bottles also varied – some spent up to $1.50 per empty bottle alone (excluding cork, foil, and label), while others strove to cap the cost at $0.75. (We spoke primarily with smaller production, luxury wineries; mass producers often spend less than $0.30 per bottle.)

But overall, the feelings were consistent. During initial conversation, each winemaker expressed a lukewarm attitude toward his glass supplier. The bottles were “fine,” they “had some imperfections,” their suppliers were “good enough.” The deeper we got into conversation, though, the more the equivocations faded – and a broken part of the unendingly complex wine ecosystem emerged. The classic glass wine bottle (both the Bordeaux and Burgundy)  is steeped in a history of both tradition and innovation. The Burgundy bottle, with its broad,  sloping shoulders, has been circulated since the 18^th century; most believe the shape originated because of its ease in glassblowing (the traditional method of bottle production). The Bordeaux bottle, however, is much younger. Its straight sides were designed for export; the bottles could be packed together securely, preventing breakage. Moreover, the steep shoulder is said to better capture the sediment common in an aged Bordeaux.

Despite their rich history, though, these bottles are failing to meet the needs of both winemakers and society at large. The bottles are fragile; winemakers will spend anywhere from $5 to $25 a case in packaging materials to prevent breakage in shipping, an extraordinary cost to an industry with slim margins (particularly among boutique, luxury producers). Further, most shippers charge by weight rather than volume, a fact that works against the heavy glass. In many bottles, the glass alone constitutes approximately 50% of the weight. This is another cost that – perhaps unnecessarily – impacts the bottom line. The other, less quantifiable, cost is that to the environment. Trucks that ship wine reach maximum capacity not by volume, but weight; as a result, more truck-miles are required. The carbon footprint of an industry that has been ravaged by climate change is a difficult reality.

The market’s current solutions to these challenges are cans and boxes, but it seems unlikely that quality-minded producers who want to see each vintage in a consistent, aesthetically pleasing bottle will full transition. The question remains – is there a better answer to be discovered?

https://www.garconwines.com/garcon-wines-blog/why-do-wine-bottles-come-in-different-shapes

https://punchdrink.com/articles/guide-to-wine-bottles-design/