Chateau Bottled

Definition - What does Chateau Bottled mean?

Chateau Bottled is a term applied to wine produced and bottled entirely within one particular chateau. Unlike bulk shipping where the wine is transported in bulk and packaged or bottled on arrival, chateau bottled wine is bottled within the vineyard by the wine producer. This process prevents adulteration and misleading packaging by shipping and packaging agents. Today, chateau bottled wine is regarded as a symbol of premium wine.

WineFrog explains Chateau Bottled

The process of chateau bottling gained popularity in the early 20th century. In the wake of mass wine shortages caused by powdery mildew and phylloxera, adultery of wine and misleading claims of origin had become rampant. So, in the 1920s, Baron Philippe de Rothschild began bottling wines at Mouton-Rothschild Chateau to preserve the reputation and quality of his wines.

This process involves cork quality control to bottling, and it provides wine producers with a greater degree of control. Over time, chateau bottled wine became a symbolic of quality due to the added quality assurance process. Today, chateau bottled wine holds a special rank in the world of premium beverages, representing an estate’s guarantee of quality.