Magnum: champagne and wine in 1.5 litre bottles
A magnum holds 1.5 litres, the same as two standard 75 cl bottles. The format is more than a big bottle for a party. Winemakers and collectors have long favoured magnums because wine develops more gently in the larger bottle, and because a single bottle is enough for a whole table. Here you will find champagne, red and white wine, rosé and port in magnum, from young vintages to mature bottles with many years in the cellar.
This page gathers 1.5 litre magnums only. Double magnums, jeroboams and larger formats are not included.
Why wine ages better in a magnum bottle
The most common explanation is oxygen. A magnum has the same neck diameter and the same cork as a standard bottle, and the air space under the cork is about the same size. The same small amount of oxygen therefore meets twice as much wine. As a result the wine develops more slowly and evenly, and many drinkers find a mature magnum fresher than the same vintage from a standard bottle.
That is one reason why classic Bordeaux châteaux, Barolo producers and Rhône houses bottle their best wines in magnum, and why collectors like to cellar great vintages in this very format.
Magnum champagne
For champagne, many consider the magnum the ideal format. The wine goes through its second fermentation and ages on its lees in the magnum itself, exactly as in a standard bottle. The magnum is often the largest format in which this happens. The very large bottles are usually filled with finished champagne from smaller bottles. Bubbles, long lees ageing and little oxygen add up to a champagne that ages slowly and keeps its freshness.
The range includes Krug, both Grande Cuvée and older vintages, Louis Roederer with Cristal and Collection, Jacquesson's numbered cuvées and single vineyards, and Bollinger Special Cuvée, La Grande Année and R.D. Browse all our champagne for standard bottles too.
Magnum red wine and white wine
Bordeaux is the classic magnum region. You will find Château Pontet-Canet and Château Léoville Poyferré across several vintages, and our full Bordeaux range shows the standard bottles as well. From Piedmont comes Barolo in magnum from Giacomo Conterno and E. Pira (Chiara Boschis) among others, and from Tuscany Ornellaia. In the southern Rhône, Château de Beaucastel and Domaine du Pegau are two of the great names in Châteauneuf-du-Pape by the magnum.
White Burgundy, German Riesling and Provence rosé come in magnum too, and Taylor's vintage port in magnum is a fine choice if you want to lay something down for many years. See also our port.
Serving and storing magnums
A magnum pours around twelve glasses of 12.5 cl, which makes it a natural fit for dinners, birthdays and New Year's Eve. Give the bottle plenty of time in the fridge or a large ice bucket, because the larger volume takes longer to chill than a standard bottle. Older red wine in magnum often benefits from standing upright for a day so the sediment can settle, then being decanted. Store magnums lying down, in the dark and at a steady, cool temperature.
Magnum FAQ
How many litres is a magnum?
A magnum holds 1.5 litres, equal to two standard 75 cl bottles.
How many glasses are in a magnum of champagne?
With a standard 12.5 cl pour you get around twelve glasses from a magnum.
What is the difference between a magnum and a double magnum?
A double magnum holds 3 litres, or four standard bottles. In Champagne and Burgundy the 3 litre bottle is called a jeroboam. This page lists 1.5 litre magnums only.
Does wine last longer in a magnum?
Usually, yes. The ratio of oxygen to wine is lower in a magnum, so the wine develops more slowly and can stay fresh for longer than in a standard bottle.