The packaging of wine for shipping and transport is mostly done in wooden crates, more rarely in strong cardboard boxes. The usual international quantity for crates is 12 bottles of 0.75 litres. This quantity was chosen because it can be carried comfortably by one person. The wine bottles are packed horizontally in the crate (as opposed to in cartons). If production quantities are given in "crates", this refers almost exclusively to crates with 12 bottles. Wines intended for longer bottle ageing are packed in sturdy crates usually made of spruce wood. However, there are also special crates for one, two, three or six bottles with corresponding fixation (see picture in the middle).
![]()
As honorary chairman of the Domäne Wachau, it is the easiest and quickest way for me to access the wein.plus encyclopaedia when I have questions. The certainty of receiving well-founded and up-to-date information here makes it an indispensable guide.
Hans-Georg Schwarz
Ehrenobmann der Domäne Wachau (Wachau)