by Al Drinkle
There’s some debate as to why the 750 mL bottle emerged as the standard size for commercial wine. Far less contentious is the fact that this particular standardization is less than ideal, especially concerning wines with a propensity towards buoyancy and levity. A 750 mL bottle is an okay option for you and a friend to drink whilst trying to figure out what you really want to drink, but provides little utility beyond that. This is particularly true during this busy season when the frequency of high stress levels and convivial gatherings render this bottle size pointlessly diminutive.
Far more sensible is the magnum. If there’s one or two participants, each can drink avariciously and in step with the cadence of human nature. In the case of a larger group, a magnum provides enough liquid for everyone to have a sip before the wine in question is reduced to a dulcet memory. Annoyingly, my opinions aren’t always shared by the conservative masses - reference the aforementioned emergence of the paltry 750 mL bottle as the accepted “standard” and the extent to which it populates the shelves of Metrovino… this might be the only way in which we’ve ever sold out!
