White wine manufacturers favor colored glass.
White wine has less natural protection against UV light than red wine, as the dark color of red wine makes it more resilient. Amber or green glass should be used for white wine, and the labels should be placed in such a manner that they block out a substantial amount of light. Manufacturers often favor one shape of bottle over another for their customers to be able to identify them, but there are no rigid rules. Therefore, always check the label to ensure that you are buying the wine you want.
Bordeaux Wines
White wines from Bordeaux are bottled in light green glass, but sweet wines which tend to have a deeper yellow color are bottled in clear glass. These bottles have tall shoulders and the sides are straight.
Burgundy Wines
Wines from Burgundy are bottled in thick green glass. They are heavy bottles that are slightly wider than other bottles. This shape is also used by New World chardonnay producers.
Alsace Wines
Alsace wine bottles are made with dark or medium green glass, although some producers use amber-colored glass. The bottle is narrower than most other types, with a very slight slope at the shoulders and a tall stem.
Rhine Wines
Rhine wines are usually bottled in amber or brown glass, though some producers favor green. The shape of the bottle is similar to that of Alsace wines, though not quite as narrow.
New World Wines
Wines from the New World (the Americas and Australia) often adopt the bottle shape of the area they are inspired by; a Chilean Bordeaux will have a light green bottle and straight sides. Wines from New Zealand and Canada tend to be bottled in clear glass and usually have a screw cap rather than a cork.
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