What Size Bottle Will Fit In My Wine Fridge? (Complete Guide)

by Philip Thompson
Updated on 07 July, 2024

The world of wine is somewhat elaborate. For every mood or occasion, a different bottle needs to be popped open.

Of course, you can’t simply buy a large quantity of wine and leave it standing upright on your counter top.

For optimum storage and thereby the most exquisite tastes, your bottles of wine need to be stashed away safely, securely, and even strategically.

The latter point plays a crucial role when it comes to considering the size of your bottles.

A wine cooler is needed here.

Still, just like the bottles of which they store, they too come in different sizes and varieties. Not every bottle will be compatible with every cooler. Therefore, making sense of all the variables here is a worthwhile endeavour.

Keep reading to discover what sized bottles will fit in your wine coolers.

What Size Wine Bottle Fits In My Wine Cooler

Wine bottles come in many different shapes and sizes. You need to ensure that the bottles are the correct size to fit into the various compartments of your wine coolers.

Should bottles be too large or ill-fitting, it could cause the door and seal on the wine cooler to not shut correctly. This leads to excess moist air becoming trapped in the compartment and leading to a build of ice.

You may seek a way to cool wine fast, but this is certainly too fast. While white wines are best served chilled, even they will be spoilt from the excessive build-up of cold.

Bad storage fits may also lead to damage to the cooler and the bottles too. Some of the bottles may become dislodged, fall, and break, creating hazards with broken glass.

They may also become stacked in an irresponsible fashion. The cooler itself may not close properly, but trying to close it one too many times by repeatedly cramming things in could put a strain on the appliance also.

The Sizes of Wine Bottles

To save yourself from experiencing all the headaches outlined above, learning about the respective bottle sizes and their shapes is best.

Numerous factors can determine the size of wine bottles. Different vineyards and different counties may have their own preferences. Certain brands may also put their own spin on things.

It’s important to be aware of these factors and to do your own independent research with the stock you’re intrigued by.

It’s not always a generalised thing.

Still, some broad strokes can be found. Irrespective of white and red wines, the more common bottle shape in the UK is the Bordeaux bottle.

It’s the standard size, containing 750ml of wine and measuring 2 7/8” to 3 3/8” in diameter. Most coolers are manufactured so that they can accommodate these bottles for storage at the bare minimum.

Still, there many different variables to consider. A list of the wine bottle sizes and names are as follows:

Split – 187.5 ml

Demie – 375 ml

Jennie – 500 ml

Standard – 750 ml

Magnum – 1.5 L

Dbl Magnum – 3 L

Jeroboam – 4.5 L

Imperial – 6 L

Salmanazar – 9 L

Balthazar – 12 L

Nebuchadnezzar – 15 L

Depending on your needs, you clearly have more than one option to consider here. In the end, there’s not one wine cooler that could host them all in high volume at any one time.

Memorise the measurements of your favoured wines, and then begin your search for compatible cooler units for optimum storage.

The Sizes/Models of Wine Coolers

Just like how there’s a myriad of wines to try these days, there’s also a plethora of storage options to consider when it comes to wine coolers.

Each iteration has its own amount of space and innovations, so the selection process here can be quite involved depending on your circumstances.

There are three different types of wine cooler available for you to peruse. They are:

Freestanding wine coolers - Standing alone, freestanding wine coolers span many different units; large capacity, medium size, tall/full height, or ageing cabinets. Clearly, you can enjoy a range of dynamic uses with them here, and all wine bottles should be comfortably stored.

Integrated wine coolers - These iterations tend to look as if they’re floating by virtue of being neatly stored within a cabinet space. Integrated wine coolers tend to be more compact than most others, yet they remain incredibly efficient in their use.

Built-in wine coolers - are highly dynamic in usage. They can be stashed safely under counter or positioned independently when at tall and full height. Built in wine coolers are typically used by those who’re adamant fans of the drink and have amassed an amazing collection of various bottles.

For more intricate considerations, you could consult a wine cooler buying guide or our size and dimension guide just to be certain that you’re securing only the most ideal storage option for you.

This will break down the detailed purposes of requiring a wine cooler and run you through cooling technologies, suitable cooler locations, and what the best brands are.

Shelving Adjustments

Some wine cooler units boast shelves that can be removed and reinstated on a whim.

So long as you have this feature at your disposal in your own cooler, then theoretically, any sized bottle will fit within.

Some people may take out their shelves to fit larger bottles of champagne in and then arrange the wine bottles around safely. It can be a creative workaround at times and certainly open more dynamic uses for your cooler.

Other coolers may have been fitted with wider gaps between shelves that can’t be removed.

While it might seem like a perk at first, this can greatly reduce the capacity of your cooler.

It can also lead to uneven storage through the desperate improper use of the owner, which invites further complications such as accident and injury.

Depending on your needs, it may be better to ere on the side of caution with these iterations.

Of course, your own discretion matters more than anything else under this arrangement.

A cooler that enables you to customise the shelving to your liking might make things easier, but it’s down to you to be economical and savvy with the space.

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