Bottle weight

[GregT]

We have used a light (470-490gr), domestically produced bottle since day 1. It was in large part an environmental choice, but I’d be fooling myself if it wasn’t also a major marketing decision-- as is every decision to do with packaging. Bottle weight / size may not matter to everyone, but to those it matters to, we want it to be noticed (like Steve mentioned above).

And kudos to you! Good choice!

[S_Rash]

Bottle weight and size will never determine whether I buy a wine or not!! I buy the wine for the wine.

[Scott_G_r_u_n_e_r]

Many of these biggest offenders big ass bottles are on wines that never hit (or rarely hit or dont rely on) retail. SQN? Turley (sure the juveniles maybe).

Marketing at retail is a argument for a large percentage of these offenders

[RichardFlack]

I guess the good folks at Ch Lafita (for example) don’t know marketing?

Personally I take oversized or overweight bottles as a warning of the marketing being higher priority than the wine making. An upscale version of critter labels.

There are also plenty of traditional and prestigious producers in Burgundy and Champagne who use oversized bottles (in the case of Champagne, I mean substantially oversized or overly wide compared to what is reasonably necessary for Champagne). It’s not only the Belle Glos and Alto Moncayo type stuff.

I think we all agree that (1) we aren’t more imypressed with large bottles, (2) we prefer bottles that fit in standard racks, and (3) we care about what’s inside the bottle. That’s easy, and we all know it’s what we’re supposed to say.

But I have to stop short of maligning people and companies that do what they think best to sell their products. Marketing and packaging do often matter in the sale of retail products, whether we think they should or not.

True, people in this forum overall would know wines a lot better than the average consumer and wouldn’t be swayed by the type of bottle. But less knowledgeable ones who are looking for something “special” might be influenced by a heavier or larger bottle. Or a bottle with a raised emblem (like Tablas Creek) or a wax capsule.

And those purchasing a wax capsule bottle as a gift could care less about the consternation the recipient will have when trying to open it.

Having finally been shown how to open a wax capsuled bottle I’d say they are slightly easier than foil. (Just place palm of your hand over the top for a few moments to soften the wax and insert the screw through it, the cork should emerge cleanly through the soft wax).

Of course screw cap is the easiest.

[Chris_Seiber]

We’ve seen a number of producers switch to lighter glass over the years. It makes sense, with the right timing, switching would be the right business decision. You landed the customers with the shrimp dick compensation image stuff, they’ve amassed enough that the inconveniences are adding up, then you market the switch as being green and all that, and they feel good about the green, and notice how easy to handle and store the bottles are and unthinkingly appreciate it.

Perfectly said.

[Chris_Seiber]

Everybody knows that it isn’t the bottle weight/size or screw top/ cork.

It’s the label that sells wine.

I thought it was points?

[Joe_B]

Everybody knows that it isn’t the bottle weight/size or screw top/ cork.

It’s the label that sells wine.

I thought it was points?

Real points are awarded after the label is printed and slapped on the overly heavy, oddly shaped bottle.

[Andrew_Dodd]

The one saving grace is thicker glass is more durable and less likely to brake if you drop it.

[John_Morris]

The one saving grace is thicker glass is more durable and less likely to brake if you drop it.

Also less likely to break.

[Andrew_Ing]

I will take the risk of wine breaking if I drop it. I would love to be able to fit more bottles in my wine fridge. Unless it’s something I can’t do without, I will pass on a winery with huge bottles that hog my chilled real estate.

[Dale_Williams]

Wow, if you want heavier bottles because they are less likely to break when you drop them, you should figure out why you are dropping them!

I just had the heaviest still 750 bottle I’ve ever seen- 2 lbs 12 ounces empty. 2012 Maravalle Francisioni ”1897 Tenuta Vitalonga” Some kind of super-Umbrian blend.

[Wes_Barton]

Wow, if you want heavier bottles because they are less likely to break when you drop them, you should figure out why you are dropping them!

Is it the people who buy them tend to have small hands?

[GregT]

Compensating?

Having finally been shown how to open a wax capsuled bottle I’d say they are slightly easier than foil. (Just place palm of your hand over the top for a few moments to soften the wax and insert the screw through it, the cork should emerge cleanly through the soft wax).

Dude - Try that with a wax capsule that’s been on for 25 years. You’ll be there for a week with sweaty palms, all to no avail. You gotta chip those off.

[R_Roberts]

Energy expenditure to move heavy glass aside, at least glass is easily recyclable. Styro shippers I find egregiously unacceptable, especially when the wine never has to leave NorCal for me. I’ll be dropping long supported producers this year for those unwilling to make the change.

[Ben_M_a_n_d_l_e_r]

One often neglected point about heavy bottles is that they are really nasty to work with on a bottling line. If you’re dumping glass and stacking pallets all day, adding 5-10 lb to each case makes things a lot more tiring. Also, specialty glass of any kind is not only more expensive but also harder to replace at short notice.

[alan_weinberg]

while I hate the heavy bottles, I still buy the wines if I like them (Colin-Morey), but I won’t buy the weird-shaped bottles—Château La Gardine, for example.

[Wes_Barton]

One often neglected point about heavy bottles is that they are really nasty to work with on a bottling line. If you’re dumping glass and stacking pallets all day, adding 5-10 lb to each case makes things a lot more tiring. Also, specialty glass of any kind is not only more expensive but also harder to replace at short notice.

We’ve done even quite a bit heavier than that. Always someone’s custom crush client. And, seemingly never anyone who actually works a bottling line. I’ve suggested charging the clients a $10/case premium for the bottling crew to have to deal with that.

Another cost factor is storage and handling services charge per pallet. Standard Burg bottles are 56 cases per pallet. (Over a buttload.) While the larger Burg bottles are 44 cases per pallet. (Ironically, less than a buttload.)

[Jeremy_Holmes]

Pierre-Yves Colin (PYCM) uses heavy bottles for a reason. They are non recycled glass and he believes that the larger corks he uses seats properly in such a bottle. He is very much aware of premox and wants to minimize the risk.

[Andrew_Morris]

Pierre-Yves Colin (PYCM) uses heavy bottles for a reason. They are non recycled glass and he believes that the larger corks he uses seats properly in such a bottle. He is very much aware of premox and wants to minimize the risk.

That is a reason, but most likely not one supported by any real science.

Long corks and heavy bottles are linked in people’s minds to expensive wine. Expensive wine is linked to quality in the same people’s minds.

[Jeremy_Holmes]

I hear what you are saying Andrew, just trying to convey what I understood from what Pierre-Yves told me. He is not the type of chap to need heavy bottles and long corks to portray the quality of the wine he makes.

He is doing something right, as I can’t ever recall having an oxidised wine from him.