Oversized Wishes: Preparing to Celebrate in a Big Way
Maxi celebrations imply maxi formats: from monumental melchizedec to primat to the more manageable magnums. Here, a selection of whites, reds and sparkling wines including absolute novelties, couture editions and customised versions.
They evoke celebrations, endless toasts, sumptuous tables, smiles and even victories, and carry a message of abundance and sharing that matches the festivities. Apparently it was an Englishman, Henry Ricketts, owner of a glassworks in Bristol, who patented the first large bottle in 1821. But the affirmation of the extrasize formats - of which the magnum is only the first step, rising to the monumental 30-litre melchizedec - occurred in Champagne around 1880, when they became inseparable companions of the precious French wine. Although imposing and scenic, they are not only chosen for aesthetic reasons: the magnum, perfect for party invitations, conceals a technical virtue. While the size is double, the neck of the bottle is the same size as a standard one, and inside those opulent containers, the wine's contact with oxygen, which is responsible for oxidation and premature ageing, is significantly reduced, given the greater quantity of liquid. Thus, evolution proceeds slowly and smoothly, with calmness and finesse, as if time were expanding. In the great sparkling wines, the difference is even more evident: the perlage becomes finer and remains lively over time, the texture creamier, the sip deeper. The usually limited production does the rest, making magnums true objects of desire to give as gifts or to uncork in company. With the promise of sufficient time and space for conversation, from the most harmonious whites to the bubbles of the toast, passing by the round reds, companions of festive dishes.
Whites: mountain peaks, saltiness and winter light reflections
Among the White Christmas surprises, the Trebbiano di Lugana Sansonina in Laguna is a tale of the sea and female entrepreneurship. The brainchild of Carla Prospero and Nadia Zenato, it is aged for sixteen months in the waters of the Venetian lagoon. There, in the brackish darkness, a luminous wine is moulded, perfumed with ripe fruit and aromatic herbs, with a mineral trail made especially for the raw dishes of the eve or to accompany a fillet of baked sea bass. Only one hundred magnums, housed in an oak case with artisanal sealing wax: a gift that combines elegance and narrative.
From Venice to Collio, the tone becomes more ascetic with Joško Gravner's Ribolla Gialla 2017, available in 1,200 bottles. It is a meditative, golden, deep Ribolla that tastes of orange peel and black tea, capable of supporting a boiled capon or mature cheese.
Cantina Tramin's Troy Chardonnay Riserva 2021 was born around 500 metres above sea level, on slopes so steep they seem impossible. Freshness, depth, a clean, enveloping sip and a saline mineral vein make it perfect for elegant winter dishes such as turkey with citrus fruits or mushroom risotto.
