Why is the bottom of the wine bottle hollow?

Have you ever noticed that curious shape at the bottom of wine bottles? This hollow is not just an aesthetic detail: it is loaded with history and functionality. Let’s go back in time and explore together the fascinating reasons behind this choice.
A centuries-old tradition

Concave bottle bottoms are not new. This practice dates back to the 4th century AD, when bottles were blown by hand. The glassblower, while finishing the bottle, pushed the hot glass inwards , thus creating this concave shape that stabilizes the whole.

With industrialization, the process evolved, but the shape was retained for its many advantages. A few notable exceptions , such as the famous Cristal Champagne bottle, created for Tsar Alexander II, have a flat bottom for historical and safety reasons.

The practical advantages of the concave bottom
Management of deposits and sediments

In wines that are kept or not filtered, natural deposits form over time. The concave bottom plays a key role here : it channels the residues into a restricted space, inevitably so that they do not mix with the wine when it is poured.