UK wine production has grown significantly over the past decade. According to WineGB, the national association for the English and Welsh wine industry, the 2025 harvest produced 16.5 million bottles from over 1,158 vineyards and around 260 registered wineries. Still wine is an increasingly important part of that output - the 2026 WineGB Awards saw still wines winning more medals than sparkling for the second consecutive year.

Choosing the right still wine bottle comes down to three decisions: format (Bordeaux or Burgundy), glass colour (flint or antique green), and closure (screw cap or cork). Get those three right and the bottle works for the wine, the label, and the buyer.

This guide covers each in turn and recommends the specific formats available from Jars & Bottles for UK wineries.

Bordeaux or Burgundy: Choosing the Right Bottle Format

The two formats used most widely by UK still wine producers are Bordeaux and Burgundy. They are not interchangeable; each carries visual associations that set buyer expectations before the label is read.

Bordeaux bottles have straight sides and high, angular shoulders. This is the most widely recognised wine bottle format in the UK trade. Bordeaux bottles suit reds, structured whites, and rosés. They provide a clean, classic presentation that works across a wide range of wine styles, which makes them the practical starting point for most UK wineries establishing their range.

Burgundy bottles have sloped shoulders and a wider body. They are the preferred format for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay at producers who want a visual signal of the style and variety. The wider body also provides more label surface area, which matters if you are using a larger back label or a full wraparound design.

For most UK wineries bottling both red and white wine, a Bordeaux bottle covers the range. Burgundy is worth adding once Pinot Noir or Chardonnay becomes a significant proportion of production and the format distinction carries meaning for your target buyers.

Flint or Antique Green: Choosing Your Glass Colour

Flint (clear glass) suits pale whites and rosés where the colour of the wine is part of the visual appeal. A pale straw English Bacchus or a salmon-toned rosé reads clearly through a flint bottle. Flint also suits the growing number of UK wineries producing skin-contact whites, where a clear bottle shows off the amber tint.

The trade-off with flint is UV exposure. Clear glass provides no protection against UV light, which can degrade aromatic compounds in white wine stored in lit retail environments over time. For wines intended to sell quickly (within 12 to 18 months) this is a low practical risk. For wines with longer shelf lives or ageing potential, green glass is the safer choice.

Antique green is the conventional choice for UK still red and white wine. It provides partial UV protection and carries the visual associations buyers expect for a table wine. Most UK Pinot Noir is bottled in antique green, and green is widely used for Chardonnay and structured whites at wineries producing a European-influenced range. Antique green is the default for any wine where UV protection matters or where the classic wine bottle aesthetic is the goal.

Wine Bottles Available from Jars & Bottles

We stock four still wine bottle formats suited to UK winery production, available to order by the case.

750ml Bordeaux Wine Bottle - Antique Green

The standard format for UK red wine and structured whites. Straight sides, high shoulders, antique green glass with partial UV protection. Fitted with a screw cap closure. Suits Pinot Noir, Regent, Rondo, Chardonnay, and most full-bodied white varieties.

750ml Bordeaux Wine Bottle Antique Green 

750ml Bordeaux Wine Bottle - Flint

The same straight-sided Bordeaux format in clear flint glass. Fitted with a screw cap closure. The right choice for aromatic whites and rosés where the colour of the wine is a selling point at the point of sale.

750ml Bordeaux Wine Bottle Flint 

750ml Burgundy Wine Bottle - Antique Green

Sloped shoulders and a wider body in antique green glass. The format for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay producers who want the bottle shape to signal the variety and style. Wider body provides more front-label surface area than the Bordeaux format.

750ml Burgundy Wine Bottle Antique Green 

187ml Bordeaux Wine Bottle - Flint

A quarter-bottle (187ml) in the Bordeaux format, flint glass, with a screw cap closure. The practical format for cellar door tasting sales, direct-to-consumer gift sets, and online orders where buyers want to try a wine before committing to a full bottle. Also used by UK wineries supplying hospitality venues and airline catering.

187ml Bordeaux Wine Bottle Flint 

Screw Cap or Cork?

All four bottles listed above are fitted with screw cap closures. Screw caps are the standard choice for commercially produced UK still white wine and rosé, and are increasingly used for red wine across the accessible end of the market.

Screw caps provide an airtight seal with no TCA cork taint risk. TCA (2,4,6-trichloroanisole) is the compound responsible for musty, corked wine - a quality failure that affects a small but significant proportion of natural cork-sealed bottles and is eliminated entirely by screw cap. UK supermarket buyers and trade buyers accept screw caps on white, rosé, and red wines without issue.

For premium still wines with ageing potential, natural cork remains the preferred closure among producers positioning their wine at the top end of the market. If you need cork-sealed wine bottles, cork stoppers are available separately. The 750ml Bordeaux and Burgundy formats are compatible with standard straight wine corks.

Exporting UK Still Wine to the EU

UK wine exports grew 35% between 2023 and 2024, reaching 9% of total production according to WineGB. For UK wineries selling into EU markets, there are four compliance areas that affect how you bottle and label wine before it leaves the country:

1. Self-certification

Wine produced in Great Britain and exported to the EU requires a self-certificate attached to each consignment. The self-certificate confirms that your wine complies with EU regulations. This applies to every commercial export of GB-produced wine to an EU country. Full guidance and the self-certificate form are published on GOV.UK (last updated April 2026).

2. FSA registration and your WSB number

Before you make your first export, you must register with the Food Standards Agency (if you are in England or Wales) or Food Standards Scotland. Email [email protected] with the subject line "VI-1 exporter registration request." The FSA will respond within 20 working days and issue a Wine Standards Board (WSB) number. You need this number before you can apply for a VI-1 pro-forma from Defra if that becomes relevant. Guidance from the Food Standards Agency covers the full process.

3. EORI number

A GB EORI (Economic Operator Registration and Identification) number beginning with "GB" is mandatory for all exports. If you do not already have one, apply through HMRC before your first shipment. Without it, your consignment cannot clear UK customs.

4. New EU labelling requirements from the 2024 harvest

EU Regulation 2021/2117 requires all wine sold in the EU, including imported UK wine, to carry a full ingredient list, a nutritional declaration, and a QR code linking to that information digitally. This applies to wines from the 2024 harvest onward and is already in force for the current production cycle.

The QR code requirement has a direct bearing on bottle and label choice. A QR code takes up meaningful label space, and a nutritional declaration and ingredient list add further copy to the back label. Bottles with a wider body, the Burgundy format in particular, provide more label surface area than a standard Bordeaux bottle, which can make meeting these requirements easier without reducing the visible space for your brand and wine information. If you are designing labels for EU export lines for the first time, factor the QR code and ingredient panel into the label brief before specifying the bottle format.

Bottle sizes for EU export

Standard 75cl bottles raise no compliance issues for any EU export destination. The 187ml quarter bottle is widely used across EU trade. Non-standard capacities -- any format outside the common commercial sizes -- should be checked against EU permitted container sizes before you commit to using them on an export production line.

For domestic UK sales, wine must be sold in permitted quantities under the Weights and Measures (Packaged Goods) Regulations 2006. The 75cl and 187ml are both permitted standard sizes under UK packaging regulations.

Ordering Wine Bottles for Your Winery

All four formats are available to order by the case. Case quantities allow you to trial a format, test closure fit, and confirm label dimensions before committing to larger volumes.

As annual production grows, moving to pallet ordering reduces the unit cost per bottle. Ypu can order pallet quantities from the individual product pages when choosing the desired quantity.

Standard 75cl wine bottles typically pack 1,575 units per pallet. The 187ml bottles pack 3,174 units per pallet due to the smaller format.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between a Bordeaux and a Burgundy wine bottle?

Bordeaux bottles have straight sides and high, angular shoulders. Burgundy bottles have sloped shoulders and a wider body. Both are standard 75cl formats. Bordeaux is the more versatile format and suits most UK still wines. Burgundy is preferred for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay where the bottle shape signals the variety and style to trade buyers.

Should I use flint or antique green glass for UK white wine?

Flint (clear glass) suits aromatic whites and rosés where the colour of the wine adds to its visual appeal at the point of sale. Antique green provides partial UV protection and is the conventional choice for wines with longer shelf lives or ageing potential. For aromatic whites sold quickly through direct-to-consumer or cellar door channels, flint is a practical choice. For wines stocked in lit retail environments for extended periods, green glass reduces the risk of UV-related degradation.

Are screw caps suitable for UK still wine?

Yes. Screw caps are the standard closure for commercially produced UK still white wine and rosé, and are increasingly used for red wine at the accessible end of the market. They eliminate TCA cork taint risk and are accepted by UK trade buyers and supermarkets. For premium red wines with ageing potential, natural cork remains the preferred closure for producers targeting the top end of the market.

What is a 187ml wine bottle used for?

The 187ml quarter bottle is used for cellar door tasting sales, direct-to-consumer gift sets, and hospitality supply. It holds approximately one large glass of wine. The format is particularly useful for wineries selling online, at farmers markets, or supplying restaurants and airlines that require single-serving formats.

What wine bottle sizes are permitted for EU export?

The 75cl and 187ml formats are both accepted under EU wine packaging regulations and raise no compliance issues for UK wineries exporting to EU markets. Standard bottle sizes that are permitted for UK domestic sales are also accepted in EU markets. Non-standard capacities should be checked against the EU's permitted container sizes before use on export production lines.