What Can You Tell from A Wine Bottle Shape, The Origin Story of a Wine and Taco Party, and a Winemaker from Alsace Who's a Living Legend

Hey guys!

This week, we’re diving into the revealing world of wine bottle shapes, sharing the backstory behind our upcoming taco and wine party with Carnitas Ramirez at Cellar 36, and spotlighting one of the most impressive producers we’ve ever visited: Christian Binner. Hope you enjoy!

What Do Different Bottle Shapes Mean? 🍾 

A guide to what bottle shape says about where a wine is from and what could be inside

Do Wine Bottle Shapes Really Matter? Why do they look different depending on where the wine is from? We’re asking the burning questions here.

Honestly, I had no idea any of this mattered until we started blind tasting wines. We had posted a few videos, and some of our wine professional friends messaged us saying, “Love the videos, but you’ve gotta hide the bottle shape, it gives too much away.” At first, I rolled my eyes. Really? You can tell where a wine is from just based on the shape of the bottle?

Turns out, you absolutely can.

Bottle shape can be a dead giveaway, especially when tasting blind. Most regions stick to traditional styles (sometimes sourcing from the same few bottle makers) and once you start noticing them, the patterns are hard to unsee. Here are a few of the most recognizable examples:

Alsace / Mosel Bottle:

Tall, slim, and elegant, usually used for Riesling, Gewürztraminer, and other wines from these regions. Kind of looks like a Wiffle Ball bat. Super common in Alsace, Germany, and Austria.

Burgundy Bottle:

Soft, sloping shoulders and a wider base, practically no shoulders at all honestly. This is the standard bottle for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, not just in Burgundy, but anywhere those grapes are grown (Oregon, Sonoma, Australia, etc.)

Bordeaux Bottle:

Straight sides, tall shoulders, and a defined neck, this one screams structure. It’s typically used for Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Malbec. You’ll see it all over Bordeaux, Napa, and anywhere else making bold, age worthy reds.

These are just a few examples, but as you can see, bottle shape can definitely give a hint in a blind tasting. Next time you’re in a wine shop, take a look around, even without reading the labels, the bottles alone can tell you a lot.

Carnitas & Wine Party, A While in the Making 🐷🌮 

Natural wine, whole pig cooking, and the story behind our upcoming pop up

On Thursday, July 17th, we’re teaming up with Carnitas Ramirez, the sister spot to the popular Taqueria Ramirez, for a pop up at New York favorite, Cellar 36. This one’s been a long time coming, so I wanted to share how it all came to life.

It started last Fall when I was introduced to Damien and Vincent, the duo behind Sauced, one of New York’s most beloved natural wine bars. They invited me to join them on a wine harvest trip to France ahead of their Paris Fashion Week party, and mentioned I’d be traveling with a small crew, including Gio and Tania, the couple behind Taqueria Ramirez and Carnitas Ramirez. It didn’t take me long to say yes.

After a few wild detours (a story for another time), we landed in Alsace, where I got to spend some real time with Gio and Tania. One highlight was foot-stomping grapes with them and our host, Farid, from the winery, Sons of Wine. And somewhere along the trip, deep into a long dinner, with a few too many bottles open on the table, we made a slurred promise: when we got back to New York, we’d throw a taco and wine party. Now, a few months later, it’s finally happening.

What I love most about Carnitas Ramirez is how focused and intentional it is. No long list of protein options, just pork, and every part of it. From ribs to ears, tongue to snout, everything is prepared with flavor, care, and craft. It’s whole animal cooking at its best, and hands down some of my favorite tacos in the city. I couldn’t be more excited to bring it all together for one night of wine, tacos, and probably a few too many stories from that trip.

If you’re in town, definitely try to stop by. And if you sadly can’t make it, their spot is in the Alphabet City between Ave B and 3rd.

Producer Highlight ⭐️ 

One of our favorite parts of wine is the discovery: we’re constantly being put on to new regions, producers, and cuvées from our friends. We’ll never be able to try EVERY wine, but we want to take a moment to mention some producers that excite us!

That’s a wrap for this week! Hope some of you can make it to the pop up next Thursday, and if not, maybe spot a few of those bottle shapes next time you’re in a wine shop.

Thanks again so much for reading and, as always, drink responsibly 🥂