Größen der Champagnerflaschen

09.02.2026

Is there any truth to the claim that champagne ages better in a magnum bottle than in a standard bottle? There are actually a few factors that support this:

Table of Champagne Bottle Sizes

Name Volume Equivalent to approx.

Piccolo / Quarter Bottle 0.2 L 1/4 bottle

Demi / Half Bottle 0.375 L 1/2 bottle

Standard Bottle 0.75 L 1 bottle

Magnum 1.5 L 2 bottles

Jeroboam 3 L 4 bottles

Rehoboam 4.5 L 6 bottles

Methusalem 6 L 8 bottles

Salmanazar 9 L 12 bottles

Balthasar 12 L 16 bottles

Nebuchadnezzar 15 L 20 bottles

Salomon (Souverain) 18 L 24 bottles

Melchizedek / Midas 30 L 40 bottles

Is there any truth to the claim that champagne ages better in a magnum?

There are indeed some factors that support this:

• In a magnum, the ratio of air to wine is lower. This slows down oxidation and allows the champagne to age more evenly.

• Due to the larger volume of liquid, the temperature remains more stable. This means less stress on the wine.

• This effect is less relevant in perfectly temperature-controlled cellars. However, it’s also important to note that standard bottles are sometimes more practical:

• You can try several different varieties.

• They take up less space in the fridge.

• Champagne from a magnum may still be too young due to the slower aging process.

• Ideally, the disgorgement date should be at least one year ago.

What about even larger bottles?

The same logic would suggest that the aging is even better. However, many very large bottles are filled after the fact rather than aged in them. As a result, the effect is often lost.

Plus, storing it in the fridge is even less practical 🙂