The history of the colors of wine bottles

Since wine began to be stored and sold in glass bottles, the dominant color has always been green, appearing in a wide range of shades. But why green, specifically? The answer lies in a purely technical reason: it was due to the glassmaking process. In the past, glass was not intentionally colored. The green hue was the result of natural impurities present in the raw materials used. There were no scientific studies or marketing strategies behind this choice. The glass simply turned green because of the chemical composition of the materials. Moreover, before industrialization, it was almost impossible to produce bottles all in the same color.

Over time, technological advancements in glass manufacturing and the development of packaging research have led to a shift in approach. Today, thanks to the addition of specific substances during production, it is possible to achieve stable colors that can be reproduced on a large scale and that serve a functional purpose in preserving the wine. The choice of bottle color is no longer random, it is now guided by scientific criteria.

Today, wine bottles can be transparent, but more often they feature darker tones, ranging from green to brown. In fact, most wines are bottled in glass of these colors. There are two main reasons for this.

1. The first is practical and related to preservation: over time, it has been discovered that dark glass offers more effective protection from sunlight, helping to preserve the wine’s characteristics. Light can alter the wine’s color, aroma and flavor. A dark bottle significantly reduces this risk, improving the longevity and quality of the contents.

2. The second reason is aesthetic and commercial: green, in particular, is a color that consumers easily associate with tradition and quality. Several marketing studies have shown that green glass is perceived as more reassuring and appealing, contributing to a better overall impression of the product.

It is the combination of technical needs and aesthetic considerations that explains why, even today, wine bottles tend to feature these darker shades. It’s a choice rooted in history, yet still supported by solid, practical reasons in the present.

How does the color of the bottle favor the storage of wine?

It is well known that exposure to sunlight can damage wine, which is why one of the key recommendations for proper storage is to keep it in a dark place. Without delving into complex chemical explanations, it’s enough to know that wine is a liquid particularly sensitive to light. When sunlight strikes the contents of the bottle, it can trigger chemical reactions that significantly alter its characteristics, compromising its aroma, flavor and color. Furthermore, light accelerates oxidation processes which, if not controlled, can ruin the wine’s organoleptic qualities.

This is why the color of the bottle plays such an essential role: dark glass acts as a filter, reducing the amount of light radiation that reaches the liquid, thereby contributing to safer and longer-lasting preservation.

There’s also another interesting aspect: some of the substances used in glass production, specifically intended to protect the contents from light, naturally give the material a green or brown tint. So it’s not just an aesthetic choice, but a well-defined technical necessity. This explains why, even today, green and brown remain the most commonly used colors for wine bottles.

What are the colors of wine bottles?

But, concretely, what are the most common colors of wine bottles, and what determines the choice of one over another? The colors range from clear white glass, which offers minimal protection from light, to dark brown or even black glass, which provides the highest level of shielding. The choice mainly depends on the type of wine and the expected duration of its storage.

In general, we can say that:

- clear bottles are used for young and fresh white wines, intended for immediate consumption, so they do not require long-term protection. Although they offer minimal shielding from light, the fact that the wine is consumed quickly helps prevent the risk of deterioration.

- green bottles, in their various shades, are used for white wines that require a short period of aging and for most red wines with medium-term aging. Although green glass is not completely light-proof, it offers good protection from light and effectively preserves the wine over time.

- brown or black bottles provide maximum protection from light exposure and are generally reserved for red wines for long-term storage. Dark glass almost completely blocks out light, minimizing the risk of oxidation and preserving the wine’s quality for years.

Even a seemingly minor and obvious detail like the choice of bottle color is far from random; it is closely linked to the wine’s preservation needs.