Wine packaging divides cleanly into two jobs: presenting a bottle as a gift, and getting a bottle somewhere in one piece. They lead to different boxes, and the only thing they share is that both start by measuring the actual bottle.
Measure the bottle, not the vintage
| Bottle style | Commonly cited diameter | Commonly cited height |
|---|---|---|
| Bordeaux, 750 ml | about 3 to 3.2 in | about 11.5 to 12.5 in |
| Burgundy, 750 ml | about 3.4 to 3.5 in | about 11.8 to 12 in |
| Sparkling, 750 ml | about 3.5 in | about 12 to 12.5 in |
These are widely published industry figures for common shapes, offered as a starting point rather than as iBox stock sizes. Glass suppliers vary, and a heavy punted bottle from one supplier will not match another. A box built for a Bordeaux will not take a Burgundy, which is the single most common respec in this category.
Presentation boxes
For a gift or a trade presentation, the usual formats are a rigid box with a fitted insert, a sleeved carton, or a folding carton with a printed exterior. The decisions are material, insert and closure. A rigid box adds board and wrap on every face, so ask for the external dimension if it has to fit a display or a shipper. Our explainer on shoulder boxes covers where the extra thickness goes on premium rigid construction.
Shipping boxes
A wine shipper is a structural product. The essentials:
- A fitted insert per bottle. Moulded pulp or die cut corrugated, holding the neck and the base so bottles cannot touch each other or the walls.
- Corrugated outer of a suitable grade. Ask for the board grade and the maximum gross weight in writing. A twelve bottle case is a heavy parcel.
- Correct count. One, two, three, six and twelve bottle formats are all common. The insert tooling is specific to the count and the bottle shape.
- Orientation. Decide whether bottles ship upright or laid down and design the insert for that. An insert designed for one will not hold the other.
The rules you have to check yourself
Shipping wine is regulated. Carriers require approval and licensing, and the rules vary by state and destination. We make the packaging. We do not certify that a shipment is compliant, so confirm the requirements with your carrier and your own advisors before you build a programme around a format. Our guide on packaging liquids for shipping covers the containment layers that apply regardless.
Price, minimum and lead time
Minimum order is 100 boxes, from about $0.48 per unit at bulk volumes, confirmed on your written quote. Inserts, rigid construction, foil and board grade are the main movers. Die and plates, design support, US shipping and a digital proof before anything prints are included, which matters here because an insert cut to your exact bottle profile costs no more to tool than a generic one.
Turnaround runs in three lanes: rush (expedited production with air freight), standard (air) and cost saver (sea), from about 7 business days plus 2 to 5 for delivery. Rigid presentation boxes with fitted inserts are assembly heavy and specialty imported items can run up to about 12 weeks, so a gift programme for a holiday season needs to be started early. Rush adds about 7 to 25% depending on the job. We produce in West Chicago and in Guangzhou.
To order, go to wine boxes. Send a bottle drawing or the three measurements, your bottle count per box, and request a quote.
