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About the "punt" The bottom of a wine bottle, more often than not, is not flat but deeply indented in a cone shape. This odd dent prompts one of our most frequently asked wine questions: What's it called, and what is it for? We haven't addressed this topic in the Wine Advisor since March 1999, so let's have a quick look at it today. The name part is simple: The wine-bottle dent (in English) is called a "punt," just like the kick on fourth down in American football. (Even more coincidentally if just as inexplicably, those in the bottle-making trade call it a "kick-up," also evocative of boot toe on football leather.) What's it for? Here we move onto less certain ground, as this tradition seems to go back to the earliest days of bottle making, long before glass bottles were widely used for wine. One theory holds that early glass blowers discovered that a deep indentation made a sturdier bottle than a simple round or flat-bottomed flask ... a possibility that gains some credibility from the deep punt in most Champagne bottles, which must withstand heavy internal pressure. Other experts speculate that the dent reflects the shape of the iron rod used to hold the bottle while it was being blown. (A related if probably mythical speculation, by the way, suggests that the standard size of wine and liquor bottles - one-fifth of a gallon or the rough equivalent 750 ml - was the coincidental result of that being the amount of air that an average glass-blower could produce with one good deep breath.) More theories abound. For instance, the fact that the crease around the punt does a dandy job of collecting sediment prompts speculation that wine-bottle makers intended it that way. Champagne bottles are often stacked nose-to-punt during production, and some sommeliers like to hold the bottle with thumb in punt for graceful pouring. And of course, if you've ever noticed how effectively the extra cardboard packaging expands the apparent size of a candy bar, you might be excused for wondering if the punt represents a similar marketing ploy. One thing is certain: There's no real need for the punt in modern wine bottles. But as with so much about wine - not excluding the natural cork - tradition is an important part of marketing wine, and a lot of consumers feel vaguely uneasy if we don't get what we're used to.
TELL US WHAT YOU THINK If you prefer to comment privately, feel free to send me E-mail at wine@wineloverspage.com. I'm sorry that the overwhelming amount of mail I receive makes it tough to respond personally every time, but I do try to get back to as many as I can. 
J et F Lurton 2002 "Les Salices" Viognier Vin de Pays d'Oc ($13.50)
Very pale straw color. Fresh and floral aromas are typical of the variety, although this one's on the delicate side. Tart and crisp in flavor, fresh white fruit and tangy acidity make it a good food companion; simple but clean and balanced, a good expression of Viognier. U.S. importer: Ex Cellars Wine Agencies Inc., Solvang, Calif. (Oct. 31, 2003) FOOD MATCH: A fine match with a hearty autumn dish of German-style bratwurst with sauerkraut. VALUE: A bit dear at the price I paid; it's widely available on the Web for less than $10. WHEN TO DRINK: Best drunk up in the next year or so, while it's fresh.
WEB LINK: The artsy, flashy Lurton Website is best viewed with a high-speed connection at
FIND THIS WINE ONLINE: Locate vendors and compare prices of Lurton Viognier on Wine-Searcher.com: 
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Shopping for wine should be easy and enjoyable, not time consuming. Just visit New, quick and affordable: Zap your text message on The Wine Advisor As I frequently point out to those of you in the wine business, there is no quicker, better or more efficient way to deliver a wine-related message to wine lovers around the world than an advertising "sponsorship" on WineLoversPage.com. Now we're introducing a low-cost, high-impact alternative that makes it easy even for small wine-related businesses with limited advertising budgets to reach our international audience of wine-savvy readers with a simple, discreet and affordable text message in The 30 Second Wine Advisor. It's just about as quick as tapping out an instant text message on your mobile phone, and not a whole lot more expensive. For more information, or to reserve space while it's available, write me today at wine@wineloverspage.com. This week on WineLoversPage.com Here are links to some of our recently published articles and features that I hope you'll enjoy:
• Dave McIntyre's WineLine - The crystal goblet
• Nat Decants - The Tipping Point
• Wine Lovers' Voting Booth: Your wine time online Last Week's Wine Advisor Index The Wine Advisor's daily edition is usually distributed on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays (and, for those who subscribe, the FoodLetter on Thursdays). Here's the index to last week's columns: • Two from the South (Dec. 5, 2003) http://www.wineloverspage.com/wineadvisor1/tswa031205.phtml • Food-friendly Malbec (Dec. 3, 2003) http://www.wineloverspage.com/wineadvisor1/tswa031203.phtml • Readers talk back (Dec. 1, 2003) http://www.wineloverspage.com/wineadvisor1/tswa031201.phtml
• Complete 30 Second Wine Advisor archive:
• Wine Advisor FoodLetter: Meatloaf: More than comfort food (Dec. 4, 2003)
• Wine Advisor Foodletter archive: Administrivia To subscribe or unsubscribe from The 30 Second Wine Advisor, change your E-mail address, or for any other administrative matters, please use the individualized hotlink found at the end of your E-mail edition. If this is not practical, contact me by E-mail at wine@wineloverspage.com, including the exact E-mail address that you used when you subscribed, so I can find your record. We do not use our E-mail list for any other purpose and will never give or sell your name or E-mail address to anyone. I welcome feedback, suggestions, and ideas for future columns. To contact me, please send E-mail to wine@wineloverspage.com All the wine-tasting reports posted here are consumer-oriented. In order to maintain objectivity and avoid conflicts of interest, I purchase all the wines I rate at my own expense in retail stores and accept no samples, gifts or other gratuities from the wine industry.
Monday, Dec. 8, 2003 |
