English Sparkling Wine: Magnum Wine Bottles, Luxury Christmas Gifts for Celebrating and Sharing

This Christmas it’s time to think a little bigger… on a magnum scale in fact. The 1.5-litre bottle is certainly one way to supersize your celebrations. That’s why, this festive season at Hattingley Valley we’ve been rather generous indeed, and have released a whole host of new vintages in magnum format, that haven't seen the light of day for a good while (literally, they are stored in the dark…). But before we get to the good stuff (or should I say GREAT stuff!), let’s look at why we think English Sparkling, should be your festive drink of choice this Christmas.

Is English Sparkling better than Champagne?

The rise of English Sparkling wine as its own unique and noteworthy category has been a journey long in the making. People used to laugh at English wine, they don’t seem to be laughing anymore. Now contenders on the global stage for traditional method sparkling wine, English Sparkling is recognised for its distinctive terroir and unique character in what one might call cool climate winemaking excellence (even if we do, say so ourselves). And with north of 900 commercial vineyards in Great Britain and more popping up all the time, the category isn't likely to diminish anytime soon. Magnum of Champagne anyone? More like a Magnum of English Sparkling, please!

The Hattingley Way…

Here at Hattingley Valley, we are proud to produce the highest quality, award-winning English Sparkling Wine on the edge of the beautiful South Downs in Hampshire. From our chalky bedrock and sunny vineyard aspect to the expertise of our Vineyard and Winemaking teams, we ensure exceptional quality in all our processes, from grape to glass. And, our Magnums bottles are no different, in fact, they are handled with even more care and attention during the winemaking process than our standard bottles. 

Due to their size, our magnum bottles require more time to develop and process. From bottling to riddling and disgorging, more manual labour is required to move and configure our magnum bottles in our storage cages. What’s more, because of the difference in the ratio of wine to bottle surface area, magnum bottles take longer to age and develop complexity, meaning a little patience is required. But, the results are well and truly worth the wait, as our long-aged magnums are beautifully refined and will continue to develop and gain complexity for years to come. If you would like to learn more about the traditional method winemaking process and what goes on behind the scenes at Hattingley Valley, why not check out our Hattingley Winery Tour and Tasting or buy it as a gift for your wine-loving friends and family?

The Magnum Advantage: How many glasses of wine are in a magnum bottle? 

Not only does the visual impact of the magnum make it the ideal choice for celebrating, but, it’s also the perfect pour for your Christmas dinner party guests (depending of course, on how full you like your glasses!). You can get roughly 10 glasses from a 1.5L magnum bottle of English Sparkling, not to mention it’s better value for money than buying an equal amount of 75 cl bottles, as the cost per millilitre for a Magnum is less.

Elevate Your Gifting: The Hattingley Magnum Collection

Looking for a luxurious and thoughtful gift? Perhaps a grand gesture? (Drum roll please!) Introducing our newly released Magnum vintages: our Rosé 2017, Blanc de Blanc 2015 and our very special 10-Year Anniversary Magnum from our Limited 2016 vintage. Or why not try our Limited Edition Rosé Magnum 2017 with 6 Hattingley wine glasses? Long in the making, some of these bottles have been ageing in our wine cellars for up to 7 years and have developed delicious tertiary aromas and flavours. Keep an eye out for personalised glass etched bottle engraving, coming soon to our website.

Magnums for Every Occasion 

You need not limit yourself to magnum drinking at Christmas. Our magnum bottles are grand enough to suit a multitude of occasions. Weddings, Christenings and other large celebrations are equally suited to magnum popping and creating memorable moments. Check out our Wedding Wine Blog to learn more about our Hattingley Valley wedding wine offerings.

Hattingley Valley magnums also stand out as the ideal choice for Corporate Gifting, offering a sophisticated drinking experience with the draw and rarity of bottles produced in limited release. Our Big Three Magnum Case and Hattingley Valley Magnum Duo are the perfect choice to convey a sense of opulence beautifully boxed for an impressive Corporate gift. What further distinguishes these gifts is the opportunity for customisation, allowing companies to add their logo, or a special message to the giftee, for the ultimate personalisation and special touch.

The Secret to Magnum and Wine Ageing for Future Wine Enjoyment!

Though it’s tempting, you need not drink your Hattingley Valley Magnums straight away, as they will only continue to age and develop delicious complexity if laid down for a little longer. Of course, to safely store and age your bottles you’ll have to get a few things right.

Ever asked yourself, how to store champagne or sparkling wine? The key lies in providing an optimal environment where temperature and lighting play pivotal roles. Magnum bottles, with their larger volume, demand extra attention to maintain consistent ageing. To achieve this, you should store your magnums horizontally in a cool, dark place, away from direct sunlight. Light exposure can be detrimental to the wine, causing premature ageing and undesirable flavours, even artificial light (we are looking at you fancy wine fridges!) can be detrimental. Maintaining a steady temperature is crucial. Ideally, your wines should be stored at a cool and constant temperature of around 13°C. Fluctuations in temperature can lead to the expansion and contraction of the wine inside the bottle, potentially compromising the seal. 

By adhering to these storage principles, you ensure that your magnum bottles of delicious English Sparkling continue to age gracefully, offering a delightful drinking experience when the moment for uncorking finally arrives.

Raise your celebrations this Christmas with our Hattingley Valley magnums and check out our The Ultimate English Wine Gift Guide for more gifting ideas! Don't forget to share your magnum-popping moments on socials @hattingleywines, we’d love to share in the merriment!