I have some magnums of 2005 Chateauneuf du Papes. If these were normal size bottles, I would think about opening them in 5-7 years. But what effect does the larger bottle size have on wine evolution? Should I wait twice as long to open since the bottle is twice as large?
Answer From Expert Roger Bohmrich MW
I am a believer in magnums for aging since the trapped oxygen is less than a standard bottle. If you have chosen well, you should have some gems in 2005 Chateauneuf. This is an appellation that I adore and have cellared for many years. The 2005 vintage is of high quality, as you know, and well constituted for medium/long term aging, which for this type of wine normally means from 10 to 20 years. I have opened magnums of Beaucastel cellared for 15-20 years that show superbly. There is no formula, however, but I would use 1.5 rather than 2 times as the guideline (comparing magnums to regular bottles).
Bearing in mind that Grenache evolves relatively fast, ageability depends, first, on the proportion of other grapes that add backbone, such as Syrah and Mourvedre; and, second, on the specific cuvee as some estates have both a "standard" and "super" bottling.
