So, the age old question- does size really matter? And does size really matter in the wine world? I’m afraid to say, yes it does! But it’s not
necessarily the bigger the better.
I’m sure you have seen, or tasted, wine from different sized bottles. Did you ever wonder if it was just for show or convenience, or did it affect
the flavour? Well, it’s a combination of them all really and I thought you might be interested to know why.
Here are the main size differentials for Bordeaux wines (yes, there are
more sizes and exceptions for different areas just to confuse you!):
Piccolo (small in Italian) 1/4
Demi (half in French) 1/2
Standard (750ml) 1
Magnum ( ‘Great’/Extra large in Latin ) 2
Marie-Jeanne 3
Double Magnum 4
Jeroboam 6
Imperiale 8
And with Champagne, they get EVEN BIGGER!
Salmanazar 12
Balthazar 16
Nebuchadnezzar 20
Primat/Paramount 36
Melchizedek 40
You are probably also wondering where all the strange names came
from? Well, these are named after historical Kings and Biblical
Characters.
So, does size really matter? Well the bottle size preferred by Bordeaux
collectors is the Imperiale (that’s 8 standard bottles). This is because it
has the best air : wine ratio. Such a small amount of air is present
between the cork and the wine; this allows the wine to develop much
more slowly, thus producing much more exquisite flavours and balance
to the wine overall.
With Champagne, the favoured bottle is the Magnum. This is usually the
largest bottle in which Champagne itself is fermented in (sometimes,
rarely, the Double Magnum). Champagne is fermented within the bottle
and the flavours develop over time.
The maturation of Champagne, or oxidisation, can occur much more
slowly in the Magnum sized bottle. This is because there is less air per
litre than in the standard bottle, so there is a slower evolution of flavour
and this creates a more elegant and balanced wine. So now you know
the science, you’ll realise that it is best to stay well clear of anything
larger than a Magnum. They are just for show as the bottles have had
smaller bottles poured into them….unless of course your name is Lewis
Hamilton!
Also there is a danger with the smaller, 1/4 or 1/2 size bottles of
Champagne. These are great fun and very handy for picnics and in
nightclubs or bars. They sell fantastically well. But please don’t think
these will age very well like the other bottle sizes- they won’t. They don’t
stay fresh for very long, so drink them ASAP!
So, when it comes to size, I have to say yes, it certainly DOES matter!
