For The Love Of Port

I have come across a new "name" for a bottle size recently that I'm not familiar with, and that got me thinking about all of the names in general. The newest one I heard was "Imp" to refer to a 50 cl bottle. It was not written as an abbreviation, so I do not believe that they were mistakenly referring to a 50 cl bottle as an Imperial, but it's possible.

Still, these are the names I've heard. Are there more?

0.187 liter "Piccolo" "Quarter" "Snipe" or "Split"
0.375 liter "Demi" or "Half"
0.500 liter "Jennie" (which means "white spirit" in Welsh)
0.620 liter "Clavelin"
0.750 liter "Bottle" or "Fifth"
1.500 liter "Magnum"
2.250 liter "Tregnum"
3.000 liter "Double Magnum"
5.000 liter "Jug"
6.000 liter "Imperial"

The couple of times that I have seen a 5.0 liter jug it was literally a jug, so that's not so much a fancy name for the bottle as a simple reference to the actual type of container.

A little research has turned these names up:

3.000 liter "Jeroboam"
4.500 liter "Rehoboam"
6.000 liter "Methusalem"
9.000 liter "Salmanazar"
15.000 liter "Nebuchadnezzar"

I've also heard that the same size bottle sometimes has different names in Burgundy and Bordeaux. Wikipedia has some good information on the origin and name of various bottle sizes. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wine_bottle

OK, you might have to refer to some of the very earliest posts to appreciate some of this, but here's my list:

5cL - Os - offline sample mailed to someone who couldn't make the bash
37.5cL - Half - for restaurant diners who need to drive home
50cl - Hersh - read the early archives..
75cL - bottle - as any fule kno
100cL - DFC - duty free crap, as any traveller knows..
150cL - Magnum - bottle you never find an occasion to open
225cL - Tregnum - bottle size for posers who couldn't tell a Blue Nun from a Ch. D'Yquem
300cL - Double Mag - doing a Derek would be a challenge
450cL - euro gallon - forget it
600cL - A Julian - he will explain at length..
1800cL - a Dirk - ask him nicely...

Tom

A split is actually a 187 ml bottle. 375 is a half bottle. This is a common misconception I've seen on the internet.

Yep, restaurants keep 187s around as "single service" pours for those that appreciate something better. There is an even smaller size too, which are called ponies, which are served on airplanes. When I was in the restaurant game, the only time we'd have 187s was in a cafeteria setting, say at an airport. The half bottle or 375 ml is pretty common for restaurants to keep on hand. I liked having even Champagne in this size ... always cork driven, because lots of couples only wanted a "toast" and this size was perfect, or you could pair a couple of them with various course, moving between white and read easily whilst not chancing .08 BAC levels, that full bottles would present.

I see a lot of Champagne splits at eateries around me, mostly basic QPR champagne. But I never see splits of wine and only occassional 1/2 bottles. Most restaurants I've been to around me only carry the full bottles and those 1/2's they may have are usually the cheaper stuff. I wish 1/2 bottles would be more easily found at restuarants as it's the perfect size for two people to enjoy, and still have a starter cocktail, without getting to

I recently bought a 187 ml bottle of 2006 Dr. Loosen reisling beerenauslese without a vineyard designation. It cost $24 at a liquor store in Brighton, MA. It's the only German wine I've ever seen in that format. I don't think that I've ever seen port or madeira in that size.

I've seen German Eiswein in a 100ml format. I guess for those who only want a taste.

Gary Banker wrote:I recently bought a 187 ml bottle of 2006 Dr. Loosen reisling beerenauslese without a vineyard designation. It cost $24 at a liquor store in Brighton, MA. It's the only German wine I've ever seen in that format. I don't think that I've ever seen port or madeira in that size.

At Martinghetti's? Dr. Loosen comes through Boston now and then. I met him a few years ago at Federal Liquors.

Eric Ifune wrote:I've seen German Eiswein in a 100ml format. I guess for those who only want a taste.

Thats not even enough to wet the whistle

Moses Botbol wrote:

Gary Banker wrote:I recently bought a 187 ml bottle of 2006 Dr. Loosen reisling beerenauslese without a vineyard designation. It cost $24 at a liquor store in Brighton, MA. It's the only German wine I've ever seen in that format. I don't think that I've ever seen port or madeira in that size.

At Martinghetti's? Dr. Loosen comes through Boston now and then. I met him a few years ago at Federal Liquors.

No, it was at Blanchard's on the corner, close to Marty's. I haven't been in Federal for a while. From the upstairs, it appears to be the place least likely to have fine wine.

Gary Banker wrote:

Moses Botbol wrote:

Gary Banker wrote:I recently bought a 187 ml bottle of 2006 Dr. Loosen reisling beerenauslese without a vineyard designation. It cost $24 at a liquor store in Brighton, MA. It's the only German wine I've ever seen in that format. I don't think that I've ever seen port or madeira in that size.

At Martinghetti's? Dr. Loosen comes through Boston now and then. I met him a few years ago at Federal Liquors.

No, it was at Blanchard's on the corner, close to Marty's. I haven't been in Federal for a while. From the upstairs, it appears to be the place least likely to have fine wine.

Federal a true old world wine cellar! I bet they had incredible Madeira over the years. Find that dusty old bottle in the corner :o

Andy Velebil wrote:

Eric Ifune wrote:I've seen German Eiswein in a 100ml format. I guess for those who only want a taste.

Thats not even enough to wet the whistle

Au contraire!

Isn't a serving of Port normally 1/8 of a bottle (3 oz)? That means 100 ml is a generous serving of Port!

I wonder how VP would age in 100 ml bottles...

Glenn E. wrote:

Andy Velebil wrote:

Eric Ifune wrote:I've seen German Eiswein in a 100ml format. I guess for those who only want a taste.

Thats not even enough to wet the whistle

Au contraire!

Isn't a serving of Port normally 1/8 of a bottle (3 oz)? That means 100 ml is a generous serving of Port!

I wonder how VP would age in 100 ml bottles...

Maybe a decent serving for a mere mortal but we're talking about serious Ports nerds here :hello:

While I don;t think these are exactly technical, the only terms I know concerning Port bottle sizes are:

187 mL = "quit being so stingy"
375 mL = "are you kidding me?" also known as "not nearly enough"
500 mL = "good sized glass"
750 mL = "okay, I'll only drink this Port tonight - you can't have any!"
1500 mL = "okay, we can share - maybe we'll have some left to try tomorrow"
3000 mL = "now we're talking!"
6000 mL = "heaven"

of course, all the bottle sizes <750 mL = "not nearly enough!"

Todd

Glenn may be in trouble :help: come late January!

Roy Hersh wrote:Glenn may be in trouble :help: come late January!

Yes, you're going to need to help him get into shape. I suggest the "Beerfest" regime of training :twisted:

I already know I'm in trouble in January!

After the Old & Odd in NYC, my wife decided that we would be taking a taxi back to the apartment instead of the subway because she didn't want to have to prop me up all the way back. And it was only 2 stops!

Glenn E. wrote:I already know I'm in trouble in January!

After the Old & Odd in NYC, my wife decided that we would be taking a taxi back to the apartment instead of the subway because she didn't want to have to prop me up all the way back. And it was only 2 stops!

now thats a good night indeed

Glenn E. wrote:0.187 liter "Piccolo" "Quarter" "Snipe" or "Split"
0.375 liter "Demi" or "Half"

I was always told that:
18.7(5)cl is a quarter bottle
37.5cl is a half bottle

but a split is 25cl or a third of a bottle

You do see small stocks of 18.75cl and 25cl bottles in larger supermarkets in the UK and I have seen port in these sizes, but always basic ruby or tawny.

Alex