In a “Wine Spectator” column some years ago, Jancis Robinson, M.W., compared regular-sized bottles of a wine to the same wine in imperials (eight-bottle size), and found, that in most instances the bottles were better.
The first lavish big-bottle event I attended was some 25 years ago in San Francisco. At one unforgettable dinner, we enjoyed Chateau Leoville Barton 1929 (imperial), Chateau Ducru-Beaucaillou 1929 (imperial), Chateau La Lagune 1929 (jeroboam) and Chateau Ducru-Beaucaillou 1928 (jeroboam).
In the mid-‘70s to early ‘80s, wine auctions were few and far between, and almost unknown except to devoted enophiles. We regularly purchased and drank Bordeaux wines from ’45, ’47, ‘49’ ’59 and ’61. Occasionally, wines would be on the block from the great vintages of the ’20s and on the rare occasion, the great twin years of 1899 and 1900, as well as some pre-phylloxera wines would surface—and at ridiculously low prices.
At the San Francisco dinner, I remember thinking that although the large-format bottles created great enthusiasm and an almost surreal ambiance, the wines did not seem to taste significantly better or worse than the same or similar wines from ’28 and ’29 from a bottle.
In 1986, the cellar-master from Chateau Lafite-Rothschild visited several major cities in the United States re-corking any Lafites 25 years or older, and re-filling them with bottles of 1961 brought for the occasion. At the Houston location-owned by one of Houston’s most respected entrepreneurs/enophiles, Bill Sharman- I took a bottle, a magnum and a double magnum of 1961. The cellar-master and I tasted each as it was opened. There is no question that the wine in the magnum was superior to the wine in the bottle or double magnum!
I had been presented with considerable evidence that the magnum is the optimal container for ageing red Bordeaux wines. This occasion, and many more since have convinced me that it is the truth.
For those who cellar Bordeaux wines to serve years later at dinner parties for six or more, the purchase of at least some magnums is highly recommended for optimal ageing and for heightened visual enjoyment. And although the wines may taste the same as in a bottle, for large dinner parties, the “WOW” factor is exponentially increased with the appearance of a huge bottle.
