Blog: Wine in Liter Bottles · Good & Cheap

1.0-liter bottles are a good thing and the wines bottled in them are guaranteed to be better than their reputation. Especially renowned South Tyrolean wineries specially fill a line in liter bottles, mainly for the domestic market. This so-called 'South Tyrolean filling' is rarely available for purchase abroad - because few merchants bother to import these 'unexcited' products. A pity really, so the true quality of South Tyrolean liter wines remains virtually unknown in this country.

Wines in liter bottles are economical: South Tyrol in particular produces a certain variety of drinkable Schoppen wines in liter bottles, where the quality does not have to hide behind the small price. What was often sold openly as draught wine in the past is now available in the practical 1.0-liter bottle: the ideal wine for every occasion and every day. At the same time, the well-known wineries pay attention to both the quality of the contents. Top South Tyrolean wineries such as Schreckbichl, the Bolzano Winery, the Muri-Gries Monastery Winery and the Merano Winery each produce their own liters. The Pinot Blanc and red Vernasch wines in liter bottles are mainly produced for the domestic market, including the gastronomic sector. However, the quality does not suffer from the 1.0-liter bottle, and no wonder: because South Tyrol has its own sales market right on its doorstep. It would not be a wise move to scare away one's own compatriots with inferior wine quality. On the contrary, the liter bottle is a thorn in the side of some wineries because of its high quality. The smaller 0.75-liter bottles are simply more profitable for the companies - with the 1.0-liter bottles, the winery literally adds the last 0.25 liters on top.

By the way, the term 'Schoppen' is originally of Arabic origin and means 'handshake'. This refers to the ancient custom of concluding a contract with a handshake and a shared drink. According to another version, the origin lies in the Low German term 'schöpfen', which was borrowed into French as 'Chopine' and borrowed back again. In the German-speaking world, 'Schoppen' is a very old liquid measure with locally varying volumes. - Gerardo [TS07/22]