bottom of the wine bottle

[Bucko]

1. The angled punt allows sediment to settle down into a tight space around the base, helping prevent the sediment from being disturbed as wine is poured into a glass.

2. A punt makes it easier to hold and pour from a wine bottle with one hand. You hold the wine bottle from the base, placing the thumb into the middle of the punt, and firmly gripping the back side of the bottle with the remaining four fingers.

3. Punts create a stable surface on which to stand a wine bottle. Historically, when flat-bottomed bottles were hand-blown or produced with early casts, they would often have deformities on the bottom which would make the bottle prone to tip over. With the use of a punt, wine bottles could have a stable, circular base on which to stand.

4. Punts add strength to the base of larger bottles, especially champagne bottles which hold wine under pressure. A solid, thicker base, with greater surface area ensures the bottle will not burst from the pressure.

5. Punts add style and flair to a bottle's design. The punt adds a sleek rounded shape to the overall composition of the bottle.

So you can see that there is not a simple answer.