From The Food Encyclopedia by Jacques Rolland and Carol Sherman
A glass or plastic container for storing liquids, including wine. In ancient times, wine was stored and transported in amphorae. The cask, supposedly invented by the Gauls, was a significant improvement. Small quantities of wine were transported in goatskins known as boutiaux or boutilles (from the medieval Latin butticula, meaning "small cask"), and this probably was the origin of the word "bottle." Long-term storage in glass bottles did not become prevalent until the 18th century.
