The Big Weed: why large wine formats soar in popularity

An imperial of Chteau Dyquem 1996 was the star of the show while the members celebrated the holiday season at the 67 Pall Mall last month. The guests of the Upmarket London Wine Club also appreciated an 18 -liter Melchior of Blandys Madira, while others have polished various magnums and double magnums.

Similar scenes were played in Oswalds, another exclusive wine club located in the heart of Mayfair. The place, whose members include Prince William, Boris Johnson, Blairs and Beckhams, only pours his house wines from Magnums.

These scenes have confirmed what we knew from the start: the size is really important. This was painfully obvious during the recent Paris Olympic Games, when a certain appendage prevented the Vaulter of French post Anthony Amirati from winning a coveted medal. He may have missed gold, but this moment transformed it into a viral sensation.

The wine trade also had its own viral sensation last year, because the old farm, the so-called chicken wine, took Tiktok and Instagram by storm. Sainsburys declared a 96% sales growth over the year of the Popular Families of Family Perin. The supermarket took advantage of its popularity by unfolding Magnums of the Chicken Wine and the buyers rushed to their local stores to take it.

From chic supermarket clubs, large wine formats go more and more. But what makes them so special and why are they more sought after than ever?

The advantages of large wine formats

Large format bottles start with the magnum, containing 1.5 liters of wine the equivalent of two standard 75cl bottles. You can then splash on a three -liter double magnum, a five -liter burgundy jeroboam or a six -liter imperial. As the bottles grow, biblical names become even more impressive: a nine liter salmanar, a 12-liter balthazar, a 15-liter nebadodonosor, or perhaps you could worry about a melchior of 18 liters?

These large bottles are spectacle spells. They are visually striking, they attract attention, they start conversations and create a feeling of opportunity. However, beyond their aesthetic appeal, they also offer distinct advantages:

• Slower aging: Wine is aging at a slower and gradual pace in larger bottles, due to a lower oxygen ratio to wine, explains Paul Richards, the world chief of wine and spirits buying at the 67 Pall Mall. Wines age in a more controlled way, which can lead to greater balance, complexity and longevity.
• Preservation: Larger bottles have thicker glass, which can provide better protection against light and temperature fluctuations, further preserving the quality of wines. This can reduce the risk of premature oxidation, and it can make it a more stable option for long -term storage.
• Sharing: These wines are perfect for sharing with a larger group, allowing everyone to enjoy the same bottle.
• Environmental considerations: Despite the thicker glass, large bottles can reduce packaging waste per liter of wine, which can appeal to drinkers concerned with the environment.
• Rarity: As they gain popularity, large wine formats remain relatively rare. Collectors write them for this rarity, as well as the feeling of greatness they bring to any occasion.

Credit: Sergio Pazzano / Istock / Getty Images Plus

The theatrical attraction of large bottles

Richards at the 67 Pall Mall notes that large formats are delivered with certain royalty rights for wine lovers. Aside from the more graceful practical advantages and more thicker glass, he says that their limited production adds another element of desirability among collectors, a cachet which is reflected by the sense of theater that large formats bring in service.

67 Pall Mall uses a VCANTER machine to pour wines from larger formats. This machine can contain bottles ranging from six liters to 27 liters, and the sommelier uses a crank to pour.

The club also uses a coravin, which allows it to offer special wines by glass from large bottles. We have served largely special large format bottles by the glass over the years of Magnums of Chteau 1961, double magnums of Sir Winston Churchill Brut 1988, and even an imperial by Ridge Monte Bello 2005, explains Richards.

Federico Moccia, sommelier chief at the 67 Pall Mall, adds: there is a certain prestige and a unique element to these wines that really use our members. Although they contribute from the point of view of income, we are also extremely passionate about experience itself. Why not be part of the show, celebrating a large format around the club, where people like to take photos and capture these special moments?

Nor should it be big names. Although we love our classics, whether super Tuscans, Barolos or Bordeaux, we also like to explore unique areas of the world. We recently had a large Sigalas Kavareos domain format from Santorini, as well as a five -liter bottle of the Magma Nerello Mascalais even more unorthodox from Frank Cornelissen in Etna. It is a question of sharing special moments, knowledge and the uniqueness of particular wines.

Investment opportunities

For investors, large bottles represent more than a simple show. Peter Shakeshaft, founder and president of the Vin-X wine investment platform, breaks down their financial attraction.

Generally, the largest bottles of investment wine are rarer and offer improved yields. Three Magnums of Petrus 1995 negotiated for 17,200 in July 2024, offering a 16.5% bonus compared to their standard 75CL equivalents.

Shakeshaft highlights a main opportunity for collectors. Given current market conditions, larger formats are much more affordable. Bordeaux 2023 offers investors the possibility of prescribing the format they want with certain wines.

Protective facts of the auction: rare discoveries and registration sales

Large format wines have also made waves in the auction world. Last month, two rare magnums from Henri Jayer shattered the estimates of presale during an auction in Switzerland. A Richebourg Magnum from 1978 sold for CHF 109,800 (98,000).

In the front, an upcoming auction of Dreweatts Offer to collectors another chance to acquire rare large formats on Tuesday, January 28.

The protruding facts include Imperials of Chteau Latour 2003, Chteau Palmer 2009, Chteau Mouton Rothschild 2012 and Chteau Lynch-Bages 2016, as well as Double Magnums de Chteau Figeac 2005, Chteau Pavie 2009, Chteau la mission Haut-Brion 2009 and Chteau Margaux 2010, More, more various magnums.

Mark Robertson, senior wine consultant at Dreweatts, describes the sale as a hallucination of some of the largest Bordeaux made in the past 20 years. Good things don't always come in small packages, he said. Large -format wines invoke romance, celebration and confidence. These wines mature graciously and are the best ambassadors in their domains.

A note of prudence

Despite their countless advantages, large wine formats are not without risk. For example, any larger bottle than a magnum will be closed with a cap. Given the incidence of Cork Taint, the greater the bottle, the greater the disappointment, writes Cam Douglas MS on his blog.

However, there is no refusal to call these formats. Whether you invest in a Magnum in Petrus or share a Jumbo de Ros bottle with a barbecue, these oversized bottles make a statement and help raise the experience.

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