Most people don’t give a lot of thought to the container wine comes in (i.e., a bottle). It’s simply there to store the delicious liquid inside. Then once the bottle is empty, it’s thrown away.
However, the weight of a wine bottle is an important factor regarding its price and quality. Heavier wine bottles suggest a superior, pricier product.
So, how much does a bottle of wine weigh? Let’s find out below!
Contents
How Much Does a 750ml Bottle of Wine Weigh?
The standard bottle of wine contains 750ml of liquid. This size vessel is what you’ll most commonly find at your local supermarket or wholesaler.
But how much does a 750ml bottle of wine weigh? A 750ml bottle of wine weighs around 2.65 pounds. However, this will vary slightly depending on the shape and thickness of the bottle.
Additionally, eco bottles may weigh less than 2.65 pounds. Premium bottles can weigh over 4.5 pounds, so if you have a taste for expensive wine, don’t be surprised if the bottle is as big as the price tag is!
Premium wines often use longer and higher quality corks, so they will typically weigh more than the corks used in cheaper wines.
How Much Does a Full Bottle of Wine Weigh?
This depends on the size and shape of the wine bottle. Although a standard wine bottle will contain 750ml and weigh roughly 2.65 pounds, you can get smaller and larger sizes that will weigh a lot different.
For example, a Nebuchadnezzar full bottle of wine weighs a staggering 54 pounds if a standard bottle is only 2.65 pounds. This size bottle is the equivalent of 20 standard-sized bottles. You definitely don’t want to drink one of these all by yourself!
We’ll go into more detail about all the different sized wine bottles later on.
How Much Does an Empty Bottle of Wine Weigh?
An empty wine bottle typically weighs around 500 grams, but this can vary from 300 to 900 grams. The liquid in a wine bottle makes up 60% of the total weight.
As we mentioned earlier, the shape, quality and size of the bottle will influence its weight.
How Much Does a Case of Wine Weigh?
A case of wine usually contains 12 750ml bottles. Altogether, that’s 9 liters of bottles per case, which you’d definitely need a party or two to get through.
If a standard 750ml bottle of wine weighs around 2.65 pounds, then a case of wine would weigh approximately 31.8 pounds. The total servings come to 60 if you pour a standard glass of wine of 5 ounces.
How Much Does a Barrel of Wine Weigh?
Barrels, typically made from oak, are used for storing wine during the aging process. The weight of a barrel of wine depends on a few factors, including the material and size of the barrel.
For example, if the barrel has a capacity of 60 gallons, then it will hold 300 bottles. If the average weight of a bottle of wine is 2.65 pounds, then a 60-gallon barrel of wine will weigh 159 pounds. You’ll have to take into consideration the weight of the barrel when it’s empty.
Does Wine Weigh the Same as Water?
Alcohol weighs less than water, so a wine without any sugar in at roughly 12% alcohol will weigh slightly less than the same amount of water. However, sugar weighs more than water, so a dessert wine with a high sugar content can weigh more than the same amount of water.
Is The Weight of a Wine Bottle Important?
The weight of a glass wine bottle is often an indicator of the wine’s quality and value. Its presentation is important as consumers will typically pick a wine based on the appearance of the packaging.
If the bottle feels heavy, it suggests that the wine inside is of superior standard and there is more of it. This means it’s more likely to get sold than a wine bottle that’s lighter in weight.
In addition, stylized bottles aren’t found in lightweight glass. As bottles are seen as a romantic element of the wine inside them, containers with a unique shape to them are more appealing than standard bottles.
Different Wine Bottle Sizes and Weights
Wine is stored in a staggering number of different sized bottles, from the tiny piccolo to the gigantic Midas. It can certainly make you feel dizzy, just like having a few too many glasses of wine can!
We’ll be explaining a little more about all the different sizes of wine and going over how much they weigh based on the average weight of a standard wine bottle, which is 2.65 pounds.
Small to Standard Size Wine Bottles
- Piccolo or Split: 187.5ml (holds 1 glass of wine or ¼ standard bottle). This size is best for one person and is commonly used for sparkling wines. It weighs around 0.66 pounds.
- Half or Demi: 375ml (holds 2.5 glasses of wine or ½ a standard bottle). Half of a 750-ml bottle of wine is the ideal size for two people. It weighs roughly 1.32 pounds.
- Half-liter or Jennie: 500ml (holds 3 glasses of wine or ⅔ of a standard bottle). A half-liter bottle of wine is uncommon, reserved mostly for Tokaj, Sauternes, and some other sweet wines. It weighs around 1.76 pounds.
- Standard: 750ml (holds 5 glasses of wine or 1 standard bottle). The most common size wine bottle you’ll find, weighing approximately 2.65 pounds. It’s perfect when shared among friends and family.
Large Size Wine Bottles
- Liter: 1L (holds 7 glasses of wine or 1 ⅓ standard bottles). A liter size bottle of wine has risen in popularity recently, especially with premium European wines. It weighs about 3.53 pounds.
- Magnum: 1.5L (holds 10 glasses of wine of 2 standard bottles). This size is sure to “wow” guests at parties and is popularly used for cellaring reds worth aging. It weighs around 4.65 pounds.
- Jeroboam or Double Magnum: 3L (holds 30 glasses of 4 standard bottles). The Jeroboam gets its name from the first biblical king of the northern kingdom of Israel and weighs a mighty 10.6 pounds.
- Rehoboam: 4.5L (holds 30 glasses of wine or 6 standard bottles). This bottle size is also a reference to a biblical king, Rehoboam. It’s mainly used by large Champagne houses for bigger volumes of sparkling wine. It weighs almost 16 pounds.
- Methuselah or Imperial: 6L (holds 40 glasses of wine or 8 standard bottles). The name of this vessel is in reference to either the oldest man in the Bible or an Imperial gallon. It weighs a gigantic 21.2 pounds.
- Salmanazar: 9L (holds 60 glasses of wine or 12 standard bottles of wine). This format gets its name after an Assyrian King. It holds a full case of wine and weighs around 31.8 pounds.
- Balthazar: 12L (holds 80 glasses of wine or 16 standard bottles). This wine bottle weighs roughly 42.4 pounds and is named after Balthazar, one of the Three Wise Men.
- Nebuchadnezzar: 15L (holds 100 glasses of wine or 20 standard bottles). The Nebuchadnezzar is named after the longest-ruling king of Babylon and weighs about 53 pounds.
- Melchior: 18L (holds 120 glasses of wine or 24 standard bottles). This size is equivalent to two cases of wine and weighs roughly 63.6 pounds.
- Solomon: 20L (holds 130 glasses of wine or 26 standard bottles). The Solomon gets its name from the son of King David and weighs almost 70 pounds.
- Sovereign: 26L (holds 175 glasses of wine of 35 standard bottles). This bottle was created in 1988 for the launch of Sovereign of Seas, which was the world’s largest cruise liner at the time. It weighs around 92.75 pounds,
- Primat or Goliath: 27L (holds 180 glasses of wine or 36 standard bottles). Marginally bigger than the Sovereign, the Primat holds 3 cases of wine in just one bottle and weighs 95.4 pounds.
- Melchizedek or Midas: 30L (holds 200 glasses of wine 40 standard bottles). The largest wine bottle size currently available, the Melchizedek weighs a hefty 106 pounds.
Are There Any Benefits to Storing Wine in Different Size Bottles?
Other than the volume of wine they contain, there is a benefit to storing wine in different sized bottles. Large bottles typically age better due to there being less oxygen exposure. If you’ve ever left an opened bottle of wine out and noticed it tasted slightly funky, that’s mostly due to oxidation.
Oxygen in the air reacts with the alcohol in the wine, converting it into acetaldehyde. This gives opened wine a sour, flat taste.
Final Thoughts
While the bottle a wine comes in doesn’t seem worth a second thought, it actually tells you a lot about the wine itself. As we’ve established, the weight of the bottle is linked to the quality and value of the wine. The heavier the bottle, the better the wine will be (for the most part!).
So, the next time you peruse the wine aisle in your local store, take note of the bottles that weigh the most.