5 Reasons to Love Large Format Wine

5 Reasons to Love Large Format Wine

Raise your hand if you’ve ever gathered with friends and opened more than one of the same bottle of wine (this is me raising both hands up high).

 

It’s a common scenario, and just one of the many reasons we love large format wines. If you’re not familiar with large formats, here is a basic primer. 

 

Most standard wine bottles are 750 milliliters (mL). Large format wine bottles (not to be confused with ‘bulk wine’) are simply oversized bottles that hold more. They range from 1.5 liters (L) to up to 15 L or more. The largest bottle we’ve heard of holds the equivalent of 40 standard bottles of wine!


 

1.5 L - Magnum: Equivalent to two standard-sized bottles.

 

3 L - Double Magnum: Equivalent to two Magnum bottles (Burgundy shaped 3L is referred to as Jeroboam)

 

4.5 L - Jeroboam: Equivalent to six standard bottles (Burgundy shaped 4.5L is referred to as Rehoboam)

 

6 L - Imperial Magnum: Equivalent to eight standard bottles (in Champagne this is referred to as Methuselah)

 

9 L - Salmanazar: Equivalent to twelve standard bottles.

 

12 L - Balthazar: Equivalent to sixteen standard bottles.

 

15 L - Nebuchadnezzar: Equivalent to twenty standard bottles.

 

Besides being a more efficient way of consuming multiple bottles, large format wines have other benefits.

 

First, wines in large format tend to be of high quality, as they are typically not produced in large quantities and often come from exceptional vintages. While it’s not a guarantee, it’s a safe assumption that any producer who goes out of his/her way to put juice in large format has something to show off. 

 

Because of this, large format wines are less common. Therefore, as the size of the bottle increases, its market availability decreases, and its exclusivity and prestige increase. Hence, large format wines are some of the most valuable and collectible in the world.

 

Next, wine in large bottles typically age better and more slowly, which allows them to develop more complexity and nuances than wines in smaller bottles. Specifically, while the amount of air trapped in the neck is basically equal in all bottles, the surface area of wine coming into contact with air decreases as the bottle size increases. This causes the wine to develop at a slower rate over a longer period of time. On the flip side, half-bottles will age much faster than standard size bottles. 

 

Last, (and arguably the number one reason to love large format wines)...They’re super fun. Seriously, bring a large format wine to a party or dinner and it will make a lasting impression on everyone there. It’s not only a great conversation starter (and Instagram prop), but you’re almost certain to please discerning palates and make everyone smile. What’s not to love about that?

 

We are proud to carry a variety of incredible wines in large format, suitable for any sized occasion.

 

Browse our selection of Magnum (1.5 L) wines

 

Browse our selection of Double Magnum (3 L) wines


Looking for even larger bottles? Contact us for more information.