The packaging of spirits and wine is different. The spirit is usually packaged in transparent glass bottles. Wine is packaged in dark glass bottles, and glass wine bottles are designed with long necks and sealed with corks. The way they are packaged in glass bottles is directly related to their alcohol content.
The alcohol content in wine is small and cannot be exposed to strong light. The molecules in the liquor are sensitive to light, especially ultraviolet rays, which are radioactive. They have a great impact on the molecules of the wine, which will accelerate the aging of the molecules of the wine, causing the red wine to lose its original taste.
The alcohol content of liquor is relatively high, so it will not leak as long as it is sealed. The cork will affect the quality of liquor and the packaging will not look good.
What are the Differences between Wine and Spirits?
Wine is a kind of alcoholic beverage made from grapes through fermentation. Its alcohol content is not less than 8.5%. It appears red because the red pigment in the grape skin dissolves in the wine. Wine is produced worldwide, including in France, Italy, Spain, the United States, Australia, South Africa, China, etc. The shelf life of wine is generally between 2-10 years, and the top wines can last for decades or more. Wine includes different types such as red wine, white wine, rosé wine, sparkling wine, sweet wine, etc.
Spirits are another name for distilled liquor. It has a higher alcohol content than wine. The raw materials of distilled liquor are generally starch and other substances containing natural sugar. Sugar and starch are fermented by yeast to produce alcohol. Through the method of distillation first and then cooling, the boiling point of alcohol (78.5°C) and the boiling point of water (100°C) are different. The original fermented liquid is heated between the boiling points of the two, and the alcohol components and aroma substances can be distilled and collected from it. The world’s seven major spirits include Brandy, Whisky, Baijiu, Vodka, Tequila, Rum, and Gin.
Common Glass Wine Bottles
There are three main reasons why glass wine bottles have not been replaced by tin cans or plastic bottles: historical and traditional factors, the excellent stability of glass bottles, and the perfect integration of glass bottles and corks.
Bordeaux Bottle
The Bordeaux bottle is the most common mainstream bottle now. With broad shoulders, a straight body, and an angular appearance, it looks like a well-tailored suit. Usually, dark bottles are used for red wine, while light green or transparent bottles are used for white wine.
Burgundy Bottle
The Burgundy bottle, also called the slanted shoulder bottle, is the earliest wine bottle. This glass bottle was invented in the 19th century. To reduce the difficulty of workers in making it, the bottle shoulder is designed to be narrower, the bottle body is wider and fatter, and the lines on the shoulder are also softer. It is mainly used to hold wines made from Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.
Alsace Bottle
The Alsace bottle is mainly used for white wine, and the color of the bottle is mostly light green or colorless. This bottle is more slender and delicate than the Burgundy and Bordeaux wine bottles, and there is almost no groove at the bottom of the bottle. Since wine is mainly transported through the Rhine River, the transport ship has a smaller load capacity, so the thin and compact Alsace bottle is very advantageous.
Champagne Bottle
The champagne bottle is similar in style to the Burgundy bottle, but it is heavier. Because champagne and other sparkling wines contain carbon dioxide, the bottle wall must be particularly thick to hold the high-pressure wine. This is also the champagne bottle invented by wine merchants after long-term practice.
Dessert Wine Bottle
Dessert wine bottles are usually tall and slender, and are generally used to hold ice wine and late wine. Instead of the standard 750 ml glass bottles, they come in 375 ml glass bottles to emphasise the rarity of these wines and highlight their preciousness.
Glass Bottles for Spirits Packaging
Transparent glass bottles are used to package spirits due to their excellent visibility and durability. These glass liquor bottles have various shapes, including round, square, triangular, and some irregular shapes. Various glass bottle shapes make the spirits more high-end. They are usually sealed with T-stoppers or glass stoppers. Their sizes are also different, including standard 750ml, 700ml, 500ml, and mini 200ml, 100ml, 50ml, etc.