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Question: Why is there a big "dimple" at the bottom of my wine bottle?

(Posted by: Theo on 2010-02-08 16:31:13)

Posted by: Big Messy Tranny on 2010-02-08, 16:47:28

It is there so that it is easier to turn the bottles as they are aging.

Posted by: Peter R on 2010-02-08, 16:37:42

Its called a Punt and its there for strength and style

Posted by: Cee on 2010-02-08, 16:42:34

Someone told me once the bigger the 'dimple' the better quality of wine. I didn't get it cos anybody can put a dimple there bigger, right?

Posted by: The Proud Alcoholic on 2010-02-08, 17:03:46

The REAL answer is it's to catch the sediment/ dead yeast cells.

Posted by: shooter1 on 2010-02-08, 19:31:54

Proud has it; the original punt was used to collect sediment. At the time it was common to bottle wine before it had fully cleared and, with the punt, the sediment had a place to settle. The wine was then poured with as little disturbance of the sediment as possible. Since most wines are now filtered, even if allowed to clear naturally, there really isn't much purpose to having the punt. As a result, punted bottles are being replaced by flat-bottom bottles for most common wines. Some of the higher-end wines still use them due to tradition and some lower-end wines use them to appear as a higher-quality product, but they really only serve any true purpose to a few homemade wine makers who still prefer the traditional, old way of doing things. Personally, I use both styles depending on what I have available when I start to bottle my wine. Good luck and enjoy!

Posted by: oikos on 2010-02-09, 07:39:43

Ask half a dozen people and you can get half a dozen reasons for having the punt in a wine bottle. Some of them: strength, easier to handle during manufacture, greater stability, sediment collection, easier to hold bottle when pouring.