# Why do some wine bottles have indented bottoms? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports\ **Created:** [September 19, 2001, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-some-wine-bottles-have-indented-bottoms/82652 "2001-09-19T19:45:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![bvernia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e274bd/32.png) [@bvernia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bvernia)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2001, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-some-wine-bottles-have-indented-bottoms/82652/21 "2001-09-24T14:22:12Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Tequila Mockingbird \* > \*\* > > > [@](#): > > > > \*Originally posted by bvernia \*\*\* > > That may be true, but the punt increases the surface area, and so the bottle will warm up more quickly. \*\* I think that’s why ice buckets were invented? \*\* [/QUOTE] I don’t think that a chilled bottle will warm up much in the minute or so it takes a busy waiter to pour out. Although glass is a poor insulator, champagne bottles are thick, and so the thermal inertia of the bottle and its contents has got to be pretty high. In addition, most waiters in the type of restaurants that serve champagne cover the neck of the bottle with a napkin, which would serve to provide some more insulation. I still think that waiters just like the elan that comes from holding it on the bottom. Someone said that they agreed with Cecil that the punt serves a purpose in storing the bottles. I don’t agree at all. I’ve never seen Champagne or other quality sparkling wines stored with the cork end of one bottle in the punt of another. During manufacture, the bottles are either kept in case-sized boxes, one layer deep (or in layered crates with the layers separated by cardboard), or during hand-riddling, they are stored “sur ponte,” i.e., one bottle in each hole of the rack, with an ever-increasing angle over the month or so of the riddling process. During shipping, Champagne is packed in single-layer boxes, and most decent retailers and any sensible wine lover will store them on their sides to keep the cork moist. Vintage champagne kept this way, with decent temperature and humidity conditions, can last for years. ---
**Author:** ![bvernia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e274bd/32.png) [@bvernia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bvernia)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2001, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-some-wine-bottles-have-indented-bottoms/82652/22 "2001-09-24T15:26:50Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by zut \* > \*\* > > > [@](#): > > > > \*Originally posted by Chronos \* > > The presumed strength advantage would come from the dome shape: A dome is very strong against pressure from the outside. The problem with this, though, is that any gains in strength over the dome itself would be lost where the edge of the dome meets the sides of the bottle. If part of the bottom would break through without the dome, then the whole thing would break off with it. > > How do you figure? Where the dome meets the side of the bottle, the glass is curved back around to form a sort of half-torus shape. Since the curvature in one direction is much tighter than the curvature of the dome, the transitional shape ought to be _stronger_ than the dome. \*\* The glass at the edge, where the punt meets the side of the bottle, typically is also quite thick. ---
**Author:** ![kambuckta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/53a042/32.png) [@kambuckta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kambuckta)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2001, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-some-wine-bottles-have-indented-bottoms/82652/23 "2001-10-14T02:30:47Z")
The real reason that wine-bottles have the indentation is because of the perverted sense of humour of the wine-maker. They like to imagine you being really peeved-off when you realize that, despite what it looks like, there is NOT another glass-full in the bottom of the bottle. Bugger. Have to go down to the pub again! ---
**Author:** ![kambuckta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/53a042/32.png) [@kambuckta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kambuckta)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2001, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-some-wine-bottles-have-indented-bottoms/82652/24 "2001-10-14T02:43:52Z")
The real reason for the indentation in the bottom of the booze-bottles is the perverse sense of humour of the wine-makers. They like to sit around giggling while they imagine you coming to the sad realization that, despite what it looks like, there is NOT another glass-full in the bottle of Cab Sav. Bugger. Have to go down to the pub again. ---
**Author:** ![JimShaw](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b4bc9f/32.png) [@JimShaw](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JimShaw)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2001, 8:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-some-wine-bottles-have-indented-bottoms/82652/25 "2001-10-18T08:00:01Z")
Has anyone else ever heard of the Punt being called a Frog? ---
**Author:** ![JillGat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9fc29f/32.png) [@JillGat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JillGat)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2001, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-some-wine-bottles-have-indented-bottoms/82652/26 "2001-10-22T01:03:03Z")
This thread belongs in “Comments about Cecil’s Columns,” so I’m moving it there. - Jill [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-some-wine-bottles-have-indented-bottoms/82652.md?page=1)