What is the concave indentation on the bottom of a champagne bottle called?

zbeckabee

Punt: The concave indentation in the bottom of certain wine bottles, especially those containing sparkling wine. Several reasons for it may be found in literature: to collect crystals or sediment (this only works if the bottle is standing upright) so that the wine may be decanted easily; to add "apparent size" to a bottle which contains exactly the same measure as a bottle which lacks the punt; to facilitate snobbiness by allowing the sommelier to pour a wine flamboyantly, with his thumb in the punt and the bottle cradled in his other four fingers; etc, etc. Reason # 1 is more correct than the others. http://richardgrantwine.com/champagne-glossary.html Jun 01 06, 8:00 AM

s-m-w

Thought it was called a pontil mark Jun 01 06, 8:41 AM

woodardr

The main reason for Champange is for strength against the pressure built up by CO2 in the Champagne. You'll notice Champange bottles are much thicker as well. The collection of sediment is correct for non-sparkling wines bottled in punted bottles - they store on their side until the day (or so) before serving, then given a slight shake to loosen the sediment and set upright to let it settle to the bottom of the bottle. Or you leave them on their side and pour *very* carefully. Tough to disagree with the guy behind the website link above, though - what a resume! Jun 01 06, 8:49 AM

woodardr

Oh, yeah, it is a punt. Jun 01 06, 8:49 AM

zbeckabee

Here is the PONTIL or PUNTY MARK: Solid iron rod to which the object from the blowpipe is transferred so that the rim may be finished, handle applied or any other final shaping carried out. Once the glass has cooled it is knocked off the rod, leaving a rough mark, the 'pontil mark', which, beginning in the 19th century, is usually ground away. http://users.ticnet.com/mikefirth/glossoth.htm Jun 01 06, 8:56 AM

Banty

Yes its called PUNT. Jun 01 06, 12:49 PM

myjoey

good enough answer so lets all have some champange.... Jun 01 06, 10:13 PM