If you’re marvelling at how ridiculous the premise of this article sounds, then don’t worry – we know. Point of fact, we can almost hear your internal monologue right now.
Likely something along the lines of: “When will I ever need the historic terminology for 15 litres of Champagne on hand… who even needs that much Champagne anyways?”Â
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To answer the latter of those two questions: Grand Prix drivers, Leo DiCaprio, Supersnake types at the club (et al.). But as for the former? Point taken. You know a storage format is well and truly cooked when it has been named after a Babylonian king. Still, who knows when such esoteric knowledge might come in handy?
On the off-chance you’re imbibing like it’s the Roaring Twenties, here’s a list of the most large-format bottle sizes for Champagne, Bordeaux and the majority of fine wines in general:
| Name | Volume (in litres) | Description |
| Demi | 0.375 | Also known as a “half” bottle. |
| Standard | 0.750 | The most commonly available format at retailers. |
| Magnum | 1.5 | Popular large-format size for Champagne. Equivalent to two (2) standard bottles. |
| Jeroboam | 3.0 | Biblical naming convention. Named for the first King of the Northern Kingdom of Israel (10th century BC). Equivalent to four (4) standard bottles. |
| Rehoboam | 4.5 | Biblical naming convention. Named for the King of Judah (10th century BC). Equivalent to six (6) standard bottles. |
| Methuselah | 6.0 | Biblical naming convention. Ancestor of Noah and the oldest living man recorded in the Bible. Equivalent to eight (8) standard bottles. |
| Salmanazar | 9.0 | Biblical naming convention. Neo-Assyrian king (858-824 BC). Equivalent to 12 standard bottles. |
| Balthazar | 12.0 | Biblical naming convention. One of three “Wise Men” to present gits at Jesus’ nativity. Equivalent to 16 standard bottles. |
| Nebuchadnezzar | 15.0 | Biblical naming convention. Named for the Babylonian king, Nebuchadnezzar II (605-562 BC). Equivalent to 20 standard bottles. |
| Solomon | 18.0 | Biblical naming convention. King of Israel, son of David. Equivalent to 24 standard bottles. |
| Sovereign | 25.0 | Reputedly created in 1987 by Taittinger to commemorate the launch of the world’s then-largest cruise ship, “Sovereign of the Seas.” Equivalent to 35 standard bottles. |
| Primat/Goliath | 27.0 | Biblical naming convention. Philistine giant killed in single combat by David. Equivalent to 36 standard bottles. |
| Melchizedek | 30.0 | Largest Champagne format. Biblical naming convention. King of Salem. Equivalent to 40 standard bottles. |
