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From: rotondo@ernie.Berkeley.EDU (Scott Rotondo)
Newsgroups: net.wines
Subject: Re: Wine bottle bottoms
Message-ID: <16144@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU>
Date: Wed, 15-Oct-86 23:33:01 EDT
Article-I.D.: ucbvax.16144
Posted: Wed Oct 15 23:33:01 1986
Date-Received: Tue, 21-Oct-86 00:14:24 EDT
References: <93@ritcv.UUCP>
Sender: usenet@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU
Reply-To: rotondo@ernie.Berkeley.EDU.UUCP (Scott Rotondo)
Organization: University of California, Berkeley
Lines: 23
Keywords: Any judge of wine grade

In article <93@ritcv.UUCP> jaw7509@ritcv.UUCP (John White) writes:
> 
> 	Sorry if this has been brought up before, but I'm new to 
> net.wines. My question: does the depth of the indentation (dish?)
> on the bottom of a bottle of wine have anything to do with the 
> quality of the wine therein?
> 	I have a friend who sez this, but I'm pretty sure it's
> B.S. (I mean after all, what are they gonna have, a wine dish depth
> meter? And a council they busts you if you use the wrong depth? :-) )
> 	If anyone knows (and I knows there's one of you) about
> this, and can back me up or explain the subtleties (sp?) of this
> dish depth dilema, it would be apreciated.
> 
>                         Thanks in advance,
> 				-Whitey Johnson.

The indentation on the bottom of the bottle (called a punt) exists to
add strength to the bottle, particularly for Champagne.  Some also claim
that it provides a place to hold the bottle while pouring, but I see
no point to this.  In cases where the strength of the bottle is not an
issue (ordinary wine bottles), I believe the depth is arbitrary.

			 -- Scott