"World's Largest Wine Bottle": Maximus

[Gifted Gourmet]

article from Newstream

July 2004 (Newstream) -- In a record-breaking move that celebrates its own 25-year history, Morton's, The Steakhouse has commissioned what has just been certified by Guinness World Records as the "World's Largest Wine Bottle." With the capacity to hold over 173 standard bottles -- the equivalent of 1200 glasses -- of wine, this masterpiece of glassmaking art was certified by Guinness World Records today at a ceremony where the bottle was carefully filled with 130 liters of Beringer Vineyards 2001 Private Reserve Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon.

The spectacular bottle, a product of international skill and creativity that measures 4.5" tall and 4.5" around, will make a coast-to-coast tour of 27 of the 61 Morton's restaurants in the U.S., celebrating the steakhouse's 25th anniversary with wine and food receptions

the photograph

Proceeds will go to a worthy charity ...

BOTTLE STATS:

Bottle name: "Maximus"

Capacity: 130 liters, equivalent to 14.4 cases (9 liter), or 173 bottles (750ml),

or 1152 glasses (80 per case)

Height: 1.37 meters, equivalent to 4.5 feet

Diameter: 43.6 centimeters, equivalent to 1.4 feet

Circumference: 1.38 meters, equivalent to 4.5 feet

Weight empty: 150 pounds

Weight full: 340 pounds

Wine: 2001 Beringer Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley

Bottle producer: Kavalier Glass Works, Sazava, Czech Republic

Cork Producer: Cork Supply USA, from the finest Portuguese cork harvested from trees in the southern region of the country

Cork size: 130mm wide x 75mm long

Sotheby's Auction Date: November 20

[KatieLoeb]

Who the hell is going to decant and pour the thing when the time comes? Will they have to hire a crane?!? A flotilla of dwarves dressed as sommeliers?

Form before function in the name of conspicuous consumption. <yawn>

[Carolyn Tillie]

Interesting -- considering a Berigner PR usually retails for around $130, that would make this bottle worth AT LEAST $25,000.

And, as Katie indicated, who-the-hell would lift it! Actually, for really monstrous bottles, there is this contraption (which I can't find at the moment via google) that hefts and pours Jeroboam and Methuselah bottles.

[dlc]

When I have had to handle large bottles at tastings I use a piece ot 1/2" surgical tubing. I rest a small metal rod over the top, insert the tubing and siphon into decanters. You can even get a clip like they use on IV's to stop or control the flow. The flotilla of little persons sounds like a nice touch though.

edited for stupid spelling

Edited July 29, 2004 by dlc (log)

[Really Nice!]

Bottle name: "Maximus"

If I had $10,000 for every time a woman called me Maximus, I'd have $0.00. Just an FYI...

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Carry on...

[britcook]

Just imagine if when they open it they find it's corked

[ctgm]

Wasn't there a 151 litre sherry bottle (or is sherry different from wine?) or am I wrong?

[GordonCooks]

Just imagine if when they open it they find it's corked

Corked? I want to see the corkscrew

[Echezeaux]

I'm not sure the name Maximus is a good one.

How about "Hernius"?

In any event, I'm not one to applaud vintners for making a bottle of wine the size of a bath tub...

Beringer, by the way, is most grateful to Morton's for making a significant amount of its 1998 Private Reserve Cabernet "disappear." It was sold to Morton's for less than $20 a bottle...Wonder what Morton's sold it for???

[Gifted Gourmet]

Morton's website

When the window opens, one can click on the largest bottle of wine and then see all of the cities that it will visit by clicking on "The Tour" .. found this fascinating!