Guests have just started arriving and you are pouring perfectly chilled and delicious Champagne from large format bottle or the party is already in full blast and you crack open that magnum of Barolo you have been saving for over a decade and everyone goes “Awwww”!
Point is, everyone loves a big bottle! Including me…
Apart from large bottles looking utterly impressive and fabulous, did you know why bigger wine bottles are better to age wine?
There are multiple reasons for this, you can read them below:
1. The size of the bottle opening and cork may be slightly bigger but the wine inside the bottle is at least twice the volume in a magnum (150cl) compared to the standard (75cl) bottle. Hence, the level of oxygen entering the bottle but the liquid surface is so much higher that the final oxygen contact surface with the wine is much smaller. This allows a slower and uniform ageing process.
2. This slower wine maturation encourages the development of more complex aromas and the integration of structural wine components such acidity and tannins. Specifically in Rieslings, like the utterly delectable Spaetlese 2008 from Weingut Donnhoff, ageing leads to the development of more oily and honeyed aromas and their high acidity softens up while keeping the wine still fresh and lively while its aromatic profile gets even richer.
3. Not only does the wine quality becomes higher, but also does its value! Please note that the number of large format bottles is normally significantly less than the production of standard size bottles. So, better ageing, higher quality in the longterm and lower number of produced bottles.
Plus, bigger wine bottles look fabulous and an absolute party essential! Bring a magnum to any party and become the party hero in an instant!
Have you had a magnum or jeroboam you particularly enjoyed lately?
Effi drinks wine 
Great information thanks!!! Of course it is totally not the same thing but with beer I always prefer a larget 75cl bottle over a standard 33cl as the beer is SOOO much better I think…….
Couldn’t agree more, I opened a magnum of “2009, Reserve de la Comtesse, Pauillac” over Christmas which was lovely, but as you say the fact it was a large format bottles was the topic of conversation and the crowd pleaser!
I also have a magnum of “Nicholas Potel Volnay 1er Cru, Champans, 2003” which I’m just waiting for the right excuse to open. Again I’m sure there are several of my friends who will be more than happy to help me finish it.
I always try look out for large format bottles when I can, especially if they’re higher quality wines with aging potential, but in my cellar unfortunately they often don’t reach it, before I get impatient or find and excuse to drink them! 🙂