Subscribe and receive a £5 gift voucher
Let us know your preferences and receive £5 and only the Newsletters that'll interest you
You're already subscribed!
Not yet told us your preferences to get your £5
GO!
You have been subscribed to our Newsletter
Check out the welcome mail we've sent you to get your £5
Different occasions call for different Champagne bottle sizes. Whether you're celebrating a wedding, hosting a party or just want to have an unforgettable night out (or impossible to remember be that as it may) we have the perfect sized bottle of Champagne for you. Starting out with half bottles and going all the way up to 15L Nebuchadnezzars, these bottles really mark special occasions!
From smallest to largest:
Quarter bottle 200ml (1 flute)
Demi 375ml (3 flutes)
Medium 500ml (5 flutes)
Standard 750ml (6 flutes)
Magnum 1.5L (2 bottles, 12 flutes)
Jeroboam 3L (4 bottles, 24 flutes)
Rehoboam 4.5L (6 bottles, 36 flutes)
Mathusalem 6L (8 bottles, 48 flutes)
Salmanazar 9L (12 bottles, 72 flutes)
Balthazar 12L (16 bottles, 96 flutes)
Nebuchadnezzar 15L (20 bottles, 120 flutes)
Solomon 18L (24 bottles, 144 flutes)
Sovereign 26.25L (35 bottles, 210 flutes)
Primat 27L (36 bottles, 216 flutes)
Melchizedek 30L (40 bottles, 240 flutes)
Learn more about Champagne bottles and their unusual sizes.
Everyone remembers the biblical names associated with Champagne: Mathusalem, Balthazar, Salmanazar, Jeroboam, as many different bottles of Champagne sizes to protect this "love philter" that is Champagne.
Few are the moments when we could see these bottles with our own eyes. The only certainty is that these names intrigue and amuse.
A little recap of the origins of these extravagant names. Jeroboam, the Champagne bottle where the excessiveness begins:
From the Quarter (200ml) to the Magnum bottle (1.5L), the bottles of Champagne have almost timid names compared to those, out of the ordinary, of more than 3 litre bottles: Demi (375ml), Medium (500ml), or the Champenoise, a classic 750ml bottle.
There is no official version that tends to prove the exact origin of these biblical names. One thing is sure, they arouse curiosity. First of a long line: the Jeroboam, or double magnum. Containing 3 litres, it is the fruit of the work of Pierre Michell, an industrialist from Bordeaux in the 18th century. It is difficult today to find bottles with a capacity superior to Jeroboam. A name taken from the king of the same name, founder of the kingdom of Israel and its first king from 933 to 910 BC.
Names in tune with the excessiveness of the bottles sizes!
The bigger the size, the more extravagant the names become. With its 6-litre capacity, the Methuselah symbolises longevity. It takes its name from the oldest character in the Old Testament... Methuselah is said to have lived 969 years. In the Bordeaux region, it is also more "soberly" called L'Impériale. The Salmanazar contains 9 litres of Champagne, the equivalent of 12 bottles.
This king of Assyria is famous for his battles against the Babylonians, or the Aramaic kingdoms that he could not bring down. The Balthazar, with its 12 litres, is equivalent to 16 classic bottles. A tribute to the famous Magus, regent of Babylon, who perished during the capture of the city by Cyrus II, founder of the Persian Empire. Then come the 15 litres of Nebuchadnezzar.
This King of Babylon, who deported the inhabitants of Jerusalem when he took the city, is also famous for the architectural revival he breathed into the Mesopotamian city. Needless to say, such a bottle size is rare. Some merchants have even recently designed even more oversized bottles, such as the Solomon (24 bottles), the Sovereign (35 bottles), the Primat (36 bottles) and the Melchizedek (40 bottles).
Mysterious bottles that contribute to the myth of Champagne. This paradoxical association between the festive side of Champagne and the naming of bottles, sometimes warlike, is obvious. Whether a marketing stunt, anecdote or real meaning, it seems that the veil is not about to fall. This is what makes all the charm of Champagne bottles.
The capacities of champagne bottles can vary from a few millilitres to several litres.
A quarter is used mainly by airlines and shipping companies.
The demi accompanies moments of intimacy.
The standard bottle format is the one that is more commonly found in cellars.
Indeed, in large containers, the ageing of champagne is slower.
Beyond the bottle format, only the magnums, or even the Jeroboams, are aged in bottle, in the cellar.
That's why we prefer a vintage champagne in 750ml format.
The challenge for large bottles is to know how to serve in the delicate flutes without spilling any on the side! A large container is heavy and bulky. It usually takes two people to serve it. The Melchizedek weighs 54 kg when full! You have to be strong...
Another challenge: it's also difficult to find a place to keep large volumes in a cool place. This is a detail to be anticipated for special occasions.
→ Note: In Champagne, only the best years are vintage. This is the hallmark of an exceptional cuvee. Contrary to the Brut without year, composed of wines from different years, only one vintage is used in the blend of a vintage Brut.
Find all our Champagne houses: Ayala Barons de Rothschild Billecart-Salmon Bollinger Delamotte Deutz Dom Pérignon Duval-Leroy Michel Furdyna Henri Giraud Gosset H. Blin Haton et fils Henriot Jacquesson Krug Lallier Lanson Laurent Perrier Le Brun de Neuville Thierry Massin Mercier Moet et Chandon Mustard Mumm Perrier-Jouët Pommery Roederer Ruinart Salon Taittinger Tsarine Veuve Clicquot
By subscribing I agree to receive the Vinatis newsletter.
I am aware that Vinatis has implemented a data protection policy that can be consulted here and that I can unsubscribe at any time via the unsubscribe link found in each newsletter.
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
You are on the shop United Kingdom
Alcohol abuse is bad for your health, please consume in moderation.
© 2002-2023 VINATIS
