Does a deeper concave indicate a finer wine?
When we first start drinking wine, many of us wonder about the unique design of the bottle's bottom.
The bottom of most wine bottles is not flat but concave. Many wine connoisseurs even believe that when choosing wine, it's essential to inspect the bottom of the bottle; the deeper the concave, the better the wine. So, what's the truth?
Why are wine bottle bottoms often concave?
That special design of wine bottles serves several purposes:
Convenience in pouring
When you hold a wine bottle in your hand and inspect the label.
Placing your thumb in the concave bottom part of the bottle while the other fingers support it from below makes it easier to observe, much like cradling a baby.
In the case of pouring wine for someone seated far from you, placing your thumb on the concave bottom of the bottle will help you reach further and pour more easily.
Sediment settling
Older wine bottles, especially those aged for decades or even centuries, particularly those made using traditional manual methods, inevitably develop fine sediment.
The concave bottom design helps the sediment settle at the bottom more easily.
Perception of more wine
The concave bottom makes the wine bottle appear to contain more wine than it actually does.
It's a fact that if you compare two 750 ml wine bottles, the one with a concave bottom looks like it holds more wine because your eyes are deceived.
Faster chilling
With an increased surface area at the bottom, chilling the wine happens more rapidly, especially when submerged in an ice bucket; the bottom part of the bottle always chills first.
Better stability
When placed on uneven surfaces or stone floors, concave-bottomed bottles are more stable than flat-bottomed ones, much like a bowl sitting on a table.
Additionally, aside from the concave bottom, wine bottles often have a small indentation to prevent difficulty in lifting it when the surface beneath it is wet.
Easy bottle cleaning
Before wine is poured into the bottle, the exterior is cleaned with water. The concave bottom makes cleaning the bottle easier and ensures water spreads evenly inside.
Increased strength
A concave bottom makes the bottle stronger and more resistant to impact, much like a sheet of paper when folded.
Furthermore, for sparkling wine bottles, the concave bottom design reduces the risk of explosion during fermentation in the cellar.
Easier bottle stacking
This benefit is particularly crucial for wine collectors.
Specifically, the concave bottom of wine bottles allows you to stack this bottleneck into the concave bottom of another wine bottle, thereby saving considerable space in your home or wine cellar.
Does a deeper concave mean better wine?
Checking the depth of the bottle's concave bottom has been considered one of the "classic" tips for choosing wine, widely circulated.
In reality, when designing this bottle shape, many factors are considered to optimize everything from wine quality to storage, preservation, and user convenience, as mentioned above.
A meticulously crafted bottle design reflects professional producers, and naturally, the quality of the wine will also be well attended to, resulting in a higher-grade product.
Conversely, mass-market wines are typically less concerned with such details.
However, the practice of selecting wine based on the depth of the bottle's concave bottom becomes widespread and consumer psychology is better understood.
Many producers adopt this bottle design for their products, even if the wine quality is only average.
Therefore, a deeply concave bottle bottom is no longer a reliable indicator of good, high-quality wine.
Furthermore, in recent years, many wine producers worldwide have used bottle designs with either flat bottoms or slight concaves.
However, the quality and taste of the liquid inside are still exceptional.
