A standard wine bottle holds 750 ml, which is about five glasses. Everything bigger is a multiple of that: a magnum is two bottles, a jeroboam is four, and so on up to a Biblical-sounding giant that would flatten your fridge. Here is the whole lineup in plain English.
Yes, the big names sound like a Sunday school quiz. No, you do not need to memorise them. You just need to know the few you might actually buy.
Table of Contents
The Short Answer
The standard bottle is 750 ml. A half bottle is 375 ml. A magnum is 1.5 litres, or two standard bottles. Those three cover almost everything you will see on a shelf. The rest are mostly party pieces. Decanter’s guide to bottle sizes says 750 ml became the standard in 1866, so the humble bottle has had a long run.
Wine Bottle Sizes Chart
Here is the chart. The glasses column assumes a 150 ml pour, which is close to the Australian standard serve. If you want to check your own pour, the glasses in a bottle guide has the maths.
| Name | Size | Standard bottles | Glasses (150 ml) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Piccolo or split | 187.5 ml | a quarter | about 1 |
| Half bottle | 375 ml | half | about 2.5 |
| Standard bottle | 750 ml | 1 | 5 |
| Magnum | 1.5 L | 2 | 10 |
| Jeroboam | 3 L | 4 | 20 |
| Rehoboam | 4.5 L | 6 | 30 |
| Methuselah | 6 L | 8 | 40 |
| Salmanazar | 9 L | 12 | 60 |
| Balthazar | 12 L | 16 | 80 |
| Nebuchadnezzar | 15 L | 20 | 100 |
One honest warning: names are not fully fixed. Decanter’s guide to bottle sizes notes that Bordeaux uses “jeroboam” for 5 litres and calls 3 litres a double magnum. The Champagne bottle sizes factsheet from the Champagne trade body also names an 18 litre bottle “Salomon”, while Decanter lists 18 litres as a Melchior. When you buy a big bottle, trust the litres on the label, not the nickname.
The Sizes You Will Actually See
Half bottle (375 ml)
Good for a midweek glass or two, or when you want to try a pricey wine without committing to the whole thing. Sweet wines often come this way, because a little goes a long way.
Standard bottle (750 ml)
The default. About five glasses, or around 7.7 standard drinks at 13 per cent alcohol. That is not a typo. One bottle is a lot of standard drinks, so pace yourselves.
Magnum (1.5 L)
The best big bottle for most people. It looks good on a table, it feeds a dinner party of six to eight, and it is easy to find. Magnums are also the classic size for Champagne and other sparkling wines.
Jeroboam and beyond
From 3 litres up you are in event territory. These are for weddings, milestone birthdays and showing off. They are heavy, awkward to pour and hard to store. Treat them as a one-night job.
Does Bottle Size Change the Wine?
It can. Decanter’s guide to bottle sizes reports that larger formats may develop more slowly because there is less air compared with the amount of wine. Michel Drappier of Champagne Drappier is quoted there saying the wine evolves more slowly in a magnum, with aromas that come together more gently. That is one producer’s view, not a law of nature, but it is why collectors like magnums for wines they plan to keep.
For wine you will drink this week, size makes no difference to taste. Pick the bottle that fits the crowd. If you are cellaring a wine, the serving temperature chart helps when it is finally time to open it.
How to Choose the Right Size
- Dinner for two: a standard bottle, or two half bottles if you want a white and a red.
- Dinner party of six to eight: one magnum, or three standard bottles.
- Wedding or big party: a common rule of thumb is one standard bottle for every three guests, plus a little extra. Big formats add the wow.
- Keeping it for years: a magnum is the sweet spot of ageing and price.
A big bottle is also a good reason to own a decent decanter. A 3 litre bottle does not pour neatly into a glass, so you will thank yourself later.
A Quick Word on Champagne Sizes
Champagne is where the fancy names live. The Champagne bottle sizes factsheet lists sizes from the 20 cl quart up to the 30 litre Melchizedec, also called Midas. If you are curious about how sparkling styles differ on the label, our guide to vintage and non-vintage Champagne is a good next stop.
Frequently Asked Questions
How big is a standard bottle of wine?
750 ml, about five glasses at a 150 ml pour. It has been the usual size since the 1800s.
How many bottles are in a magnum?
Two. A magnum holds 1.5 litres, which is double a standard 750 ml bottle.
What is the biggest wine bottle?
The sizes go up to 30 litres, called a Melchizedec or Midas, which equals 40 standard bottles. Most of us will never meet one.
What is a split of wine?
A small bottle of about 187.5 ml, sometimes 200 ml, mostly used for sparkling wine. It gives you roughly one glass.
Is wine better in a magnum?
Not for drinking now. For ageing, some producers say the wine develops more slowly in a magnum. That can help a wine you plan to keep.
How many glasses are in a magnum?
About ten glasses at a 150 ml pour.
