From Magnums to Methusalehs, there’s a huge variety of luxury Champagne bottle sizes available. Discover the different Champagne bottle names and how much of the sparkling stuff they contain!
Guide to Champagne Bottle Sizes
Oversized champagne bottles are fun for parties and special occasions. They can also be more cost effective than standard Champagne bottles. Bear in mind that large champagne bottles may be harder to transport than standard bottles, and need to be opened carefully.
Some wine experts believe that sparkling wine from bigger bottles isn’t as good. However, others believe that large Champagne bottles such as Magnums actually make for the best wine ageing conditions.
How Many Champagne Bottle Sizes Are There?
There are at least 14 sizes of champagne bottle. In fact, Champagne is the only French AOC (Appellation d’origine contrôlée) that has as many different wine bottle sizes.
If you include the piccolo, which is just 18.75 litres, that makes 15 bottle sizes in all. Piccolo means small in Italian and it contains the equivalent of one tulip Champagne glass.
Popular in Australia, the piccolo champagne bottle is not available in all countries. The Comité Champagne trade association in France does not include it in their list of Champagne bottle types.
What Are The Champagne Bottle Size Names?
Here is a list of official Champagne bottle sizes, from small to very big! The largest champagne bottles are harder to find in regular retail outlets.
Many of these large bottles of Champagne are made to order for special events and weddings. You can often get hold of these luxury Champagne bottle sizes by contacting the Champagne producers directly. It’s also worth asking if they can make a personalized Champagne label.
Originally, it was Bordeaux producers who started using names for larger wine bottles in the 17th century. The Champenois wine producers started to use them in the 20th century.
The largest Champagne bottles were given names suggesting greatness. Quite a few of the larger sizes have names of biblical kings.
1. Quart (20 centiliters)
Also known as a quarter, this champagne bottle holds 2 flute glasses of Champagne.These mini champagne bottles are mainly sold for airplane flights, although you can also find the quarter bottle in some supermarkets.
2. Half-Bottle (37.5 centiliters)
Nicknamed “la fillette” or little girl and also known as a demie in French, the half bottle of Champagne is sometimes available in restaurants. It contains the equivalent of 3 flute Champagne glasses.
3. Medium (50 centiliters)
Also known as a pinte in French, the medium Champagne bottle is very rare. It amounts to 4 full Champagne glasses.
4. Standard Champagne Bottle (75 centileters)
Also known as the “champenoise”, a standard Champagne bottle contains 6 glasses of Champagne. It has sloping sides and an indentation on the bottom of the bottle.
Known as a punt, this concave dimple makes Champagne bottles stronger and able to resist the pressure of the bubbles within. It’s also handy when pouring if you place a thumb there.
5. Magnum (1.5 liters)
The word magnum originates from Latin and means great. A magnum of Champagne is the equivalent of 2 bottles of Champagne.
This gives 12 glass of Champagne. Magnums are considered to be ideal for aging the wine.
That’s because magnum bottles of Champagne have a lower ratio of air to liquid. This allowsthe wine to age more gradually.
6. Jeroboam (3 liters)
Taking its name from a King of Israel who ruled from 931-920 BC, a Jeroboam provides 24 glasses of Champagne. The word Jeroboam means he increases the people.
Jeroboam ruled his kingdom for 22 years during the late 10th Century. This bottle is also known as a Double Magnum.
Containing the equivalent of 4 bottles of Champagne or six standard 750 ml bottles, Jeroboams are a popular choice for social gatherings. Everyone will want to pose with the bottle, which is 3 litres in size!
7. Rehoboam (4.5 liters)
This rare Champagne bottle size is named after the grandson of King David and son of King Solomon. In the 10th century BC, Rehoboam ruled the Kingdom of Judah. His name means “he who enlarges the people”.
Luxury Rehoboam Champagne is the equivalent of 6 Champagne bottles and 36 glasses of Champagne.
8. Methuselah (6 liters)
A symbol of longevity, Methuselah Champagne bottles take their name from this biblical patriarch. Methuselah was the oldest person to ever live, according to the Hebrew Bible.
It is claimed that Methuselah lived for 969 years and was 187 when he became the Father of Lamech. Also known as the Imperial and as Mathusalem in French, these large format bottles are the equivalent of 8 Champagne bottles. You can pour 48 glasses of champagne from a luxury Methuselah Champagne bottle.
9. Salmanazar (9 liters)
Named after Assyrian Kings who ruled from 1274-1245BC, Salmanazar champagne bottles hold the equivalent of 12 bottles or 72 glasses of Champagne.
10. Balthazar (12 liters)
A Balthazar contains the equivalent of 16 Champagne bottles or 96 Champagne glasses. It is named after the famous Arabian King Balthazar. He was the ruler of Saba, and purportedly one of the three wise men who presented the gift of myrhh to the baby Jesus.
11. Nebuchadnezzar (15 liters)
The most famous King of Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar reigned from the late 7th to the middle of the 6th century BC. A Nebuchadnezzar champagne bottle holds 15 liters, or 120 flute glasses.
Known in French as Nabuchodonosor, this bottle amounts to 20 bottles of Champagne or 120 flute glasses.
12. Solomon (18 liters)
The Solomon Champagne bottle, or Salomon in French, generally equals 24 bottles of standard Champagne or 144 glasses. However, it is sometimes defined as being a 20 or 21 liter Champagne bottle.
Solomon was a famous Israel King and son of David. According to the Hebrew Bible, he officiated in a dispute between two women who both claimed to be the mother of a baby.
In order to reveal the true mother, he suggested that they cut the baby in half. One woman agreed to that while the true mother offered to give the child to the other woman, to spare her baby’s life. Solomon gave the child to the selfless, real mother.
13. Sovereign (26.5 liters)
The Sovereign was created by the champagne house Taittinger, to celebrate the launch of the cruise ship, Sovereign of the Seas. At the time, this cruise liner was the largest in the world.
Therefore, Sovereign was designed as the largest bottle of Champagne in the world. A Sovereign bottle of Champagne is the equivalent of 35 regular bottles and known in French as Souverain.
It equals 200 glasses of Champagne. Since then, 2 additional Champagne bottle sizes have surpassed the Sovereign in capacity, the Primat and the Melchizedek.
14. Primat (27 liters)
Weighing a mighty 65 kilos, the Primat Champagne bottle contains the equivalent of 36 regular Champagne bottles or 216 flute glasses.
It is also known as a Goliath Champagne bottle and measures 26 centimeters in diameter.
15. Melchizedek (30 liters)
This is the largest Champagne bottle size. The huge bottle equals 40 regular bottles of Champagne or 240 flute glasses. Also known as a Midas in French, this gigantic Champagne bottle weighs 45 kilos!
Final Thoughts: Champagne Bottle Sizes
As you can see, there’s an impressive amount of different Champagne bottle sizes and volumes. With their unique sizes and distinctive shapes, Champagne bottles can add a touch of luxury to any occasion. Not only can the various sizes accommodate different needs and tastes, they can also make a statement.
Understanding the different types of Champagne bottles is an important part of being an enlightened wine drinker. You now have all the information you need to select the right bottle size for your next gathering.
If this article has you thirsting for more knowledge on drinkable delights, take some time to check out our other articles about wine and related topics. Let the festivities begin by finding what type of Champagne bottle suits suiting you best! Cheers!
What is your favorite type of Champagne? Do you like your champagne neat or do you prefer champagne cocktails? One of our faves is an elderflower champagne recipe, so refreshing!
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