Odd bits of information which I’m glad to have
The names of large wine bottles are amusing. Up to Nebuchadnezzar, the terminology seems stabilised. I’m uncertain about the status of the terms for 24 litres and upwards. There is a reference to these names in early nineteenth century dictionaries but no clarity about the origin of the names or why biblical kings were chosen.
To toast someone using the larger bottles, you’d need a fork-lift truck! Perhaps not so strange that the terminology got a bit hazy if the choice of terminology took place while imbibing the contents….
Name of bottle
Magnum (1.5 L, 2 standard bottles)
Double magnum (3.0 L, 4 sb)
Jeroboam (sparkling wine) (3.0 L, 4 sb)
Jeroboam (still wine) (4.5 L, 6 sb)
Rehoboam (champagne) (4.5 L, 6 sb)
Imperial (6.0 L, 8 sb)
Methuselah (sparkling wine) (6.0 L, 8 sb)
Salmanazar (9.0 L, 12 sb)
Balthazar (12.0 L, 16 sb)
Nebuchadnezzar (15.0 L, 20 sb)
———————————
Melchior (24 sb)
Solomon (28 sb)
Primat (36 sb)
Melchizedeh (40 sb)