Hayes Family Wines - Large Format - Does Size Matter?
Our Shiraz’s in 6L, 3L, 1.5L, 750ml and 500ml
Different Bottle Sizes
For as long as wine has been available in glass bottles (and other containers for that matter) it has been available in various sizes from the very small sample bottles that we have used in our virtual tastings (50ml) through to 28L and even bigger.
At Hayes Family Wines, in most vintages we bottle a number of wines from 750ml (a regular bottle) through to Magnum (1.5L), Double Magnum (3.0L), and Imperial (5L and 6L). We also bottle a wine in 500ml bottles each year for those who want a smaller amount. On request, we can also do one off bottlings in larger sizes for a special occasion.
Bottle Sizes and Names by Bottle Shape
Does Size Matter?
While the common 750ml wine bottle dominates the scene, there are a variety of sizes and shape of bottles. These can impact the flavor of the wine, not just the volume and price!
Many factors impact the longevity of a wine, including grape variety, the grapes themselves, the winemaking techniques applied including use of preservatives, the seal applied and storage conditions. All of these being equal, the volume of oxygen the wine is exposed to in the bottle will impact the rate of ageing. The more oxygen per unit of wine, the faster the ageing process. As such, in magnum format, the volume of oxygen per litre of wine is less than that of a 750ml bottle. Therefore wine in a magnum will age slower than the identical wine in a 750ml bottle.
Is slower aging a better thing? Yes and no. If you want the wine to age, a very cold cellar containing bottles with a perfect seal will product very slow ageing. However it really comes down to personal preference as some prefer younger wines while other like to explore how a wine changes over the years.
So the perfect size? If given a choice, it’s magnum bottles under screwcap for me.
Why do we Bottle in Large Format?
Large format just screams celebration. But there are practical reasons too, for a 4 person dinner party, is one glass really enough of a great red? Again sometimes it is nice to see how a wine changes during the dinner or with different foods. When you open a magnum, each person can have 2.5 glasses each? Similarly, when there are 6 for dinner, same logic applies, only 3L will do!
And as was pointed out to me the other day by one of our great customers, BYO charges at a restaurant are per bottle. A magnum is a bottle so it’s the same charge. So magnums make financial sense too.
But one of our favourite things is when we see our wines being opened for special occasions. Whether it is for a 40th, 50th, 60th or other milestone years, or for a special anniversary or whether it is parents cellaring birth year big bottles when their baby is born, we love to be a small part of these celebrations. Large format bottles are perfect for these events.
Magnum format (1.5L) under screwcap!
So what is the perfect sized bottle?
For us, a screwcap sealed Magnum is the perfect size bottle for ageing or sharing with a group of friends. But we are not that fussy, a good wine with your family and friends is always my preferred choice!