[wine] Magnums age better

I'm unable to verify the quote: Churchill commented that 'a magnum is the perfect size for two gentlemen over lunch'. I did find this quote about the Imperial Pint: What, though, was so special about the imperial pint? Churchill believed it to be the perfect measure: just enough for two people to drink at lunch and for one person to drink at dinner," says Simpson. "He drank one every day, between his whisky and his brandy." Cellaring Champagne? Supersize it, experts say. Steve Pitcher, Special to The Chronicle Sunday, February 8, 2009 Sparkling wine ages longer and better in a magnum (left). There's no denying that serving Champagne or sparkling wine from a magnum - a 1.5-liter bottle containing the equivalent of two standard bottles - is dramatic and impressive. With Valentine's Day just around the corner, consider that the amorous message bubbly sends is magnified twofold by a magnum. But is there any difference between the same wine in the two bottle sizes, whether it's produced in Champagne or California? Most experts agree that not only does a sparkler in magnum taste different, but also it certainly will last longer, stay fresher and develop more character and complexity in the cellar. A cooking analogy might be useful. A beef roast will taste better when cooked at low temperature over a long period of time, compared to one cooked quickly at high temperature. "Magnums age more gracefully than (standard) bottles," asserts Eileen Crane, president and winemaker at Domaine Carneros. "They promote a tempo and type of aging by which sparkling wine shows its best over time." Standard bottles of bubbly are typically drunk soon after purchase, and that's just what the wineries expect. That's the beauty of bubbly: It's ready to drink when released, and will age in its standard 750 ml bottle. But it will age even better in a magnum. The consumer gets to make the choice. How long can a well-made California sparkling wine age in magnum? "Let's pop that sucker when it's 20 years old!" advises Hugh Davies, president and vintner at Napa Valley's Schramsberg Vineyards, which has an extensive library of older vintages. "Sparkling wine and Champagne age longer and better in magnum than any wine, red or white." For Davies, it's bubbly's extra ingredient that makes the difference. "The carbon dioxide in the wine acts as a preservative that helps keep it fresh over time," he says. Davies' 20-year boast isn't an idle one. Serious Champagne collectors shudder at the thought of opening a magnum before its time - at least five to six years for most and up to 50 years or more in the case of some British aficionados, who make a habit of drinking their magnums of Bolly (that's Bollinger to the rest of us) quite old. That preference is sometimes called the "English palate" - an appreciation of the softened mouthfeel that comes as more and more carbon dioxide is absorbed into the wine over time, reducing the bubbles' persistence. When bubbly is very young, regular-size bottles may be the way to go. "Within the first two years of release, the wine from the standard bottle will generally taste comparatively better," observes Crane, who has done extensive comparative tastings using various bottle sizes. "After that time, the same wine from magnum tastes better and shows more depth and complexity." That's because, by then, an alchemy of sorts has begun to take place. Davies explains that within the first couple of years of development, the wine in magnum has only barely absorbed the trace amounts of oxygen remaining in the bottle. That slows the aging process. It's a faster process in smaller bottles because the air-to-wine ratio is greater. "The slower the process, the more nuanced and complex the evolution of the wine," explains Davies. Crane adds that there's actually less oxygen in magnums because the bottle's longer neck allows a higher fill, thus reducing the ullage (the space between the bottom of the cork and the wine's surface, a source of trace oxygen). Kyle Nadeau, manager of D&M Wines & Spirits, a Champagne retail specialist in San Francisco, advises that perceived differences depend greatly on the style of the winery or Champagne house. "The same vintage of Krug Champagne, which is made in a bigger, bolder style than most, will exhibit little difference between bottle and magnum on release, while a vintage of Perrier-Jouet, for example, a lighter-styled Champagne, will generally taste different, and I'd say better, from the magnum early on." Then there is the matter of autolysis, a key component in the creation of sparkling wine, if one discussed only in the most wine-savvy company. Arnaud Weyrich, the French-trained winemaker at Roederer Estate in Anderson Valley, explains that autolysis - the gradual breakdown of yeast cells, known as lees, that provide the wine with its bubbles during a second fermentation - works differently in a magnum. There's proportionally more glass surface, which allows more contact between the lees on the inside of the bottle and the wine. "This results in more creaminess and roundness as the wine ages, finer, tinier bubbles and imparts complex aromas of baked brioche, cashew or hazelnut and spice," he says. Tom Tiburzi, Domaine Chandon's winemaker, adds that autolysis takes more time in a magnum, up to four weeks longer than in a regular bottle. "During this time the yeast cells are in a struggling stage - going through a long, slow death, so to speak - and getting to more of the wine," he explains. Particularly in Champagne, wineries presenting an important vertical tasting of their bubbly for visiting media or trade prefer to do so from magnums. At a tasting of Dom Perignon in 2005 with cellar master and winemaker Richard Geoffroy at the Dom's ancient abbey in Hautvillers, we were poured from imposing magnums the vintages of 1998, 1996, 1995 and 1990. Comparing bubbly from magnum to the same wine poured from a regular bottle is sometimes possible at sparkling wineries. At Roederer Estate, for example, "a magnum is always open for tasting," says Sharon Sullivan, the director of hospitality. The differences are immediately clear, as side-by-side tastes of Roederer's current nonvintage brut revealed. The regular bottle yielded a wine with little frothiness, forward apricot and creamy hazelnut aromas and a round mouthfeel. The same wine from magnum was far frothier (much more so than from a well-aged magnum) with aromas and flavors based more on citrus, and had a certain shyness to it. If there's a note of caution, it's that some sparkling wineries produce magnums by transferring the contents of two standard bottles, which won't produce the enhanced results. But none of California's top sparkling wine houses employs the transfer process for magnums. And in Champagne, according to Sam Heitner, director of the Office of Champagne in Washington, D.C., regulations prohibit using the transfer process for magnums. Some prefer not to complicate bubbly with scientific musings. More an affair of the heart than the brain, so to speak. As for me, a magnum of sparkling wine or Champagne is the perfect bottle for a party of two come Feb. 14 or any other day. Buying guide Magnums are usually priced slightly higher than two standard bottles of the same wine. If you don't see your choice on the shelf, ask the merchant to order it for you (but be prepared to pay for a six-magnum case). Store the bottles in a cool, dark place for at least a year; label nonvintage wines with the year of purchase. If you do this every year, you'll have a constant supply of superior bubbly. NV Arlaux Brut Champagne ($79) This tiny producer based in Vrigny, run by Christine Marechal, makes subtly fruity Champagnes primarily from Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier. (Importer: Wine House Ltd.) NV Collard-Picard Cuvee Selection Brut Champagne ($75) A blend of 80 percent Pinot Meunier and 20 percent Chardonnay fermented in stainless steel with no malolactic fermentation. Round and full on the palate with richness to spare. (Importer: Premier Wine Co.) NV Domaine Chandon Brut Classic ($32) This very well-priced sparkler is refreshingly soft and dry, offering complex aromas of apple and pear accented by subtle nuttiness and brioche. NV Fleury Carte Rouge Brut Champagne ($89) From the first grower in the region to be certified biodynamic by Demeter. Made from Pinot Noir in a Blanc de Noir style, this is fruity and delicate, yet still rich, with low dosage, making it quite dry. (Importer: Premier Wine Co.) NV Nicolas Feuillatte Blue Label Brut Champagne ($80) A blend of 40 percent each Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier with 20 percent Chardonnay, offering hazelnut and apple and quince aromas. (Importer: Chambers & Chambers) NV Pommery Brut Royal Champagne ($75) From a large producer based in Reims, this classic, lighter-style Champagne offers fresh aromas of white flowers and citrus, with ample lemony fruit flavors, rich texture and a spicy finish. (Importer: W.J. Deutsch & Sons) NV Roederer Estate Anderson Valley Brut ($48) Tasted against the standard 750 ml bottle ($22), it's a different wine. Livelier and more plentiful bubbles. Wine in the smaller bottle offered forward aromas of hazelnut cream, apricot and citrus, while this has shy aromas of lemon blossom and toasted brioche, enhanced by green apple and quince. In the mouth, very full and a bit frothy with more citrus flavors showing. NV Roederer Estate Anderson Valley Brut Rosé$57) A blend of 60 percent Pinot Noir and 40 percent Chardonnay, with the lovely salmon hue coming from the addition of a small amount of still Pinot Noir. Full and round in the mouth with lively, tiny bubbles and a remarkable balancing act of elegance and austerity contributed by the Chardonnay. - S.P. Steve Pitcher is a contributing editor for Wine News magazine. E-mail him at wine(a)sfchronicle.com. http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/02/08/FDPQ15H8J4.DTL This article appeared on page E - 1 of the San Francisco Chronicle -- ------------------------------ * Dr. James Ellingson, jellings(a)me.umn.edu * * University of Minnesota, mobile : 651/645-0753 * * Great Lakes Brewing News, 1569 Laurel Ave., St. Paul, MN 55104 *