Why Wine Professionals Swear by Magnums — and Why You Ought to Too

Magnums include baggage. They’re usually perceived as extravagant or meant for collectors — one thing you’d carry to an enormous feast and go away unfinished. However in observe, the format serves a really totally different goal, particularly by way of how wine ages over time. Wanda Mann, a wine educator and the founding father of Wine With Wanda — who can be speaking about all issues Cabernet Franc at this 12 months’s Meals & Wine Traditional in Aspen — views them as some of the efficient codecs for preserving high quality and construction over time.

“Typically, folks mistakenly imagine magnums are all about flash and never operate,” says Mann. “There’s no denying the dramatic visible attraction of a large-format bottle, however many winemakers want to bottle their prime wines in magnums as a result of they’re an excellent vessel for getting old.” That’s very true for wines that don’t all the time get prime billing, like Cabernet Franc. The format offers them room to evolve — quietly, confidently — and present up with extra construction when it counts.

What adjustments in a magnum?

A magnum holds 1.5 liters of wine — twice the usual bottle — however each enable in roughly the identical quantity of oxygen over time. This shift in ratio slows oxidation and extends the wine’s improvement. “Wines do age in another way, and dare I say higher, in magnums,” says Mann. “That slower oxidation permits the wine to develop complexity and depth over time.”

Producers usually reserve this format for wines that profit from getting old — reds with acidity and tannin or advanced whites made for extra than simply short-term ingesting. Cabernet Franc suits neatly into that class. Equally, Barolo, Pinot Noir, and structured types of Chardonnay and Champagne are additionally notable examples.

Magnums aren’t nearly preserving wine without end. They’re about permitting it the time to achieve its full potential — particularly should you’re opening one thing which may in any other case drink somewhat younger.

Not essentially extra cheap, however usually smarter

There’s no value benefit to purchasing magnums. “Magnums aren’t normally cheaper than shopping for commonplace bottles,” Mann notes. Nonetheless, they will supply worth in different methods. They age extra gracefully, serve about ten glasses — sufficient for a desk of visitors, and take away among the guesswork round bottle timing. “If we’re centered on getting old,” Mann provides, “magnums are perfect for wines with a construction that helps longevity.”

That applies to a variety of wine types, from Champagne and Verdicchio to age-worthy reds like Cabernet Sauvignon and Cab Franc. The slower evolution permits these wines extra space to open up, notably in vintages the place the construction is there, however the fruit hasn’t absolutely softened. And in sensible phrases, bringing one magnum to the desk is commonly simpler — and extra placing — than juggling two bottles.

Why the magnum format feels totally different

Magnums don’t simply serve in another way. They learn in another way. There’s a shift in tone when a magnum hits the desk — not as a result of it’s costly, however as a result of it feels intentional. “Magnums are enjoyable,” Mann says. “They’re instantaneous dialog starters that captivate visitors and add the proper of drama to the ingesting expertise.”

They don’t need to be splurges both. Reasonably priced Proseccos, pét-nats, and lighter reds are more and more obtainable in massive format. The influence stays the identical, even when the value doesn’t climb. And in a time when dwelling dinners typically carry extra weight than eating out, this format delivers somewhat additional with out doing an excessive amount of.

The case for getting magnums

Magnums aren’t simply shelf items or occasion props. They’re instruments for higher getting old, smarter serving, and a barely extra beneficiant pour. In case you’re holding a wine that’s not fairly able to drink — or seeking to elevate one thing extra informal — the format helps on each counts.

For varieties like Cabernet Franc that profit from construction and persistence, a magnum provides the precise situations. It’s not about making a splash. It’s about giving the wine time and giving the second extra space.