Wine bottles come in all shapes and sizes, but the standard bottle size is 750ml. Why is that?
Because the wine trade was a significant component of the British economy in the 19th century and, although England produced scarcely any commercial quantities of wine at that time, it imported, sold and distributed vast quantities of wine from other wine-producing countries – France, especially.
The British used a unit of measurement known as the ‘imperial gallon’. The French adopted the litre in 1795 as part of the metric system.
One imperial gallon was equal to just over 4.5 litres of liquid.
Back then, the French transported wine to England in 225 litre barrels: that’s 50 imperial gallons, or 300 wine bottles of 750ml, per barrel.
To standardise measurements and facilitate greater trade, French and English wine merchants agreed that one gallon of wine equals six wine bottles. This quickly became the universal benchmark.
To this day, cases of wine usually contain 6 or 12 bottles of 750ml. And throughout the world, cellars, crates, boxes and shelves are built to accommodate this ubiquitous (and thus convenient) standard.
There are, of course, larger wine bottles: from the 1.5 litre Magnum to the 15 litre Nebuchadnezzar.
These are fun and festive vessels – but the larger the bottle, the harder it is to store and share.
A full Nebuchadnezzar – named, apparently, after an ancient King of Babylon – contains 20 standard bottles of wine, weighs close to 40 kilograms and stands taller than your grandmother.
I think less is more. Although they can be hard to find, I love and collect half-bottles of wine.
Wineries lose money on half-bottles, compared to standard 750ml bottles, because of disproportionately high production and handling costs.
If less costs the winemaker more, why bother? One reason is to showcase the best of their wine in any available format.
Some of the greatest wines that I have been lucky enough to sample, I consumed in the form of a 375ml half-bottle – ultra premium wines from the Old and New World that were beyond my means in the standard size format.
As a traveller to wineries across the globe, a half-bottle is the perfect size to carry home in a crowded suitcase.
As a diner, alone or in the company of others, half-bottles are a great way to experiment with different wines without committing to a standard full bottle.
A Muscadet with oysters. A Chardonnay with chicken. A Pinot Noir with pork. The options are tantalising.
Among the highlights of my drinking life is a half-bottle of wine that I consumed alone, years ago, in front of a glowing fireplace in the depths of a Melbourne winter.
Lost in dreams and shapeless thoughts, transfixed and transported by dancing flames, I worked my way through a 375ml Château de Malleret 2005 from the Haut-Médoc in Bordeaux, France.
One tiny bottle. One large and luminous landscape of feeling, taste and inspiration.
Earlier this year, I took five half-bottles from my cellar of sorts and designed a menu to match (see below).
I sat with friends, one afternoon, and together we travelled from Australia to France without leaving the dining table.
A journey of discovery – a joy flight for the senses – on the liquid wings of great half-bottles.
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THE HALF-BOTTLES LUNCHEON
Spotswood, Melbourne, October 2025
Oysters
Champagne Perrier-Jouët Grand Brut
Sesame-seared Yellow Fin tuna, soy and ginger dressing, garlic chips
Domaine André Bonhomme Viré-Clessé Vieilles Vignes 2021
Spring risotto with either salmon and pickles OR lamb rump and red wine sauce
Domaine Collotte Les Grasses Têtes Marsannay 2021
Chateau du Tertre Les Hauts du Tertre Margaux 2005
Basque cheesecake
Mitchelton Blackwood Park Late Harvest Riesling 2019
