More is More

Why be normal? Large-format bottles look better, taste better-heck, they'll probably make you feel better. Let the fun begin.

- Jeff Jenssen and Mike Desimone 

GET OUT THE best glassware. Polish up the silver. After we’ve convened in smaller groups for several years, this season calls for friends and family and celebrations aplenty—the perfect excuse then to pour from the biggest bottles and make a splash (though not literally; that would be a waste). Wine served in large-format bottles makes an outsized impression, and the ability to pour 10 to 12 glasses from a single magnum takes a multicourse-pairing dinner to the next level.

Besides the wow factor, large formats have a particular advantage. The liquid ages more slowly thanks to the greater ratio between the wine in the bottle and the air that can enter via the cork closure. Put simply, high-quality bottles will last longer. But since this is the holiday season, not science class, let’s focus on those that are perfect to pour right now—that are destined to impress.

Champagne Drappier NV Carte d’Or, Champagne, France

Nothing says welcome like a nice glass of bubbly, but if you want to ratchet up your game and have guests talking about you well into the new year, greet them with something really special. Drappier, a historic house, familyowned since 1808, produces all the standard sizes, but this is one of the very few champagnes available in Melchisedech—an eye-popping 30-litre bottle (US$11,000). Now that’s a party. Although it’s light gold in colour, this delightful cuvee has a high proportion of pinot noir in the mix, offering flavours of peach, apple, pear and a touch of freshly ground white pepper in the finish.

Inglenook 2019 Rubicon, Rutherford, Napa Valley