Why bigger is better when it comes to wine
Other than the cool-factor of bringing out a larger than normal size bottle of vino among friends there are various reasons why one should opt for the Super-size-bottle next time while vino shopping. Here are a few pointers on why big bottles are so great, literally… and how you should handle them..
- Magnum means ‘great’ or ‘extra-large’.
- The constant verdict from experts is that wine from bigger bottles lasts longer and tastes consistently better.
- Champagne oxidizes more slowly in a magnum which means it will taste fresher and vibrant when opened, compared to a smaller bottle.
- Small temperature fluctuations are less dramatic in a larger volume of wine – reducing risks of fault and making them excellent choices for forgetting about in the cellar for a few years.
- The smaller air:wine ratio also reduces the possibilities of faults in the wine.
- They are perfect for a celebration / dinner party / or a large gathering.
- If you are choosing to decant wine from a magnum or larger, keep in mind that it will need longer to breathe than your regular size bottle. 5-6 hours for a magnum is a good estimate, however 3L or bigger bottles may need longer prior to drinking.
- A Jeroboam holds 3L of sparkling wine. However a Jeroboam for still wine holds 4.5L, therefore a 3L bottle of still wine is technically called a Double Magnum.
- Jeroboam is the name of the King of Israel from the 9th century BC.