One of the most common problems that wine enthusiasts face when collecting wine is wine storage. It always is a challenge when you want to add large format wine bottles and odd-shaped bottles in your wine collection, but you only have regular-sized wine racks.
Have you ever wondered why wineries would make large bottles of wine when they seem so impractical when it comes to where and how to store them? Why can’t wineries just make all wine bottles identical and standard-sized? Learn more about large format wine bottles by reading through this article:
Various wine bottles sizes in Canada
1. Large Format Wine Bottles are Rare
Some wineries only produce large format wine bottles for very special wines, and they only release them for very special occasions. There are wineries that only use large format wine bottles to showcase vintage wines, and release them only during the winery’s anniversary or for other occasions like a charitable event.
2. Wines in Large Format Bottles are Usually Higher in Quality
Wine ages through a chemical process called oxidation. In this process, the chemical components of wine are exposed to a small amount of oxygen. Take note that proper maturation happens with only a small amount of oxygen. Too much exposure to oxygen can ruin the flavor of wine.
In every wine bottle, there is a small amount of oxygen trapped in the empty space called an ullage. When the wine bottle is big, the amount of oxygen in it is relatively smaller than the volume of wine. This means that the oxidation of wine is slower. Slower oxidation often translates to better wine aging, and therefore, a higher quality of wine.
This also means that if you want to put away a wine bottle for a special occasion many years in the future, a large format wine bottle is a safe bet. Since oxidation is slower in large format wine bottles, they will reach their peak long after 750ml bottles have reached their prime.
3. Large Format Wine Bottles Are Highly Resistant to Fluctuations in Temperature
Fluctuating temperature is one of the enemies of wine. Wine needs to be stored in the ideal temperature, with minimal to no fluctuations. Large-format wine bottles contain a larger volume of wine. Larger volumes of liquid take longer to warm or cool, and therefore are more resistant to the damages caused by constant temperature fluctuations.
This does not mean, though, that you should settle for less than ideal custom wine cellar conditions. Your wines, whether in large format wine bottles or standard wine bottles, should be kept in a residential wine cellar that can provide the ideal conditions for proper wine storage.
4. Large-Format Bottles Look More Fitting For Occasions
When we have celebrations and parties, we want everything to look grand and festive. Nothing looks more grand and festive than large format wine bottles. Wines in these bottles look impressive, and they are an immediate attention grabber.