Wines in all grapes and sizes: the perfect sized bottle

It’s a no-brainer that the usual wine bottle size of 75cl is the biggest seller by a LONG way. However, what's becoming more and more apparent is the growth in popularity of buying our favourite wines in a whole host of different sizes and formats.

Smallest

If you just fancy a glass, the trusty mini isn’t just what you get on airlines! There are now some really high quality wines being sold in supermarkets in the miniature size, so you can have a quality glass of wine, without buying a whole bottle. They are also really handy for cooking, when you just need a splash. My favourite little mini is the Codorniu Clasico, which is available in Tesco for £3.49. I love this, as it is fresh and fruity, and quite often it’s really hard justifying opening a whole bottle of fizz... even if it’s just what you fancy on a Friday evening with your Fish & Chips!

Smaller

To me, the best sized bottle is the 375ml- a half bottle. It’s the perfect amount for a large glass of wine each, reduces waste and encourages trial of different brands or grapes without the commitment of a whole bottle. Half Wine have this wrapped up - a whole selection of incredible wines all in half bottles, (there's everything from gorgeous Burgundy to more modern stuff from brilliant Chilean and Australian producers) plus nifty tasting packs so you can sip your way through a few!

Big

Perfect for parties, Magnums (1.5L) are the ultimate show. They look impressive, have better ageing potential due to the space, lack of air and same breathing through the same size cork, and are cost-effective too. If you’re thinking of investing in some Champagne for a special occasion, it’s generally accepted to be better from a magnum sized bottle.

Majestic do a brilliant range of magnums - from rioja to rose - and they start at under £20, so it's not a massive investment to try one.

From the supermarket though, it’s back to trusty Casillero del Diablo who make their classic Cabernet Sauvignon in the magnum size. It’s available in selected Sainsbury’s stores.

Biggest

Not as commonly available as the other sizes, the Imperial (Bordeaux) or Jeroboam (Champagne) is next on the size chart. It’s unlikely you’ll find these on supermarket shelves, but good independents will point you in the right direction. Places like The Whisky Exchange do a selection of champagnes in jeroboam size.

For even bigger bottles, there's the methuselah (eight bottles) and the salmanazar (twelve bottles!). You can get champagne in these sizes from The Wine Society. But they're just showing off.

What size would you buy your wines in if there was more choice?