There’s a reason why cellar masters keep their old vintages in magnums: champagne ages better in them. And there’s a reason why we open one on a wedding evening or on New Year’s Eve: nothing makes more of an impression than a magnum of champagne being brought to the table. This guide explains what difference the larger bottle size makes, how many glasses it serves, how much it costs, how to serve it — and presents the twenty magnums, jeroboams and great vintages available in our cellar, with their current prices.
Magnum, jeroboam, Methuselah: how many glasses?
| Size | Capacity | Equivalent | Flutes |
|---|
| Bottle | 75 cl | 1 bottle | 6 |
| Magnum | 1.5 L | 2 bottles | 12 |
| Jeroboam | 3 L | 4 bottles | 24 |
| Methuselah | 6 L | 8 bottles | 48 |
For an aperitif, allow one and a half flutes per person: a magnum serves eight guests, a jeroboam sixteen. For a champagne meal, two to three flutes per person: a magnum serves four to six. Our article on bottle sizes and capacities lists all the formats, right up to the Nebuchadnezzar.
Why champagne tastes better in a magnum
The reason lies in physics. Under the cork of a magnum, the air pocket is roughly the same as in a standard bottle — but with twice as much wine. Oxygen, which causes the champagne to evolve, therefore acts at half the rate: the wine retains its freshness for longer, its bubbles remain finer, and its complexity develops at a more leisurely pace. The houses are well aware of this: Laurent-Perrier disgorges its old vintages in magnums after twenty years on the lees; Deutz reserves its prestige cuvées for the large format; and Bollinger stores its reserve wines in magnums sealed with cork. Unlike the jeroboam, where the wine is often produced in bottles and then decanted; the magnum, on the other hand, undergoes its second fermentation right in the bottle you drink from.
Our magnums of brut: from €62.90 to €127.90
For a celebration, a non-vintage brut in a magnum offers the best value for money. The Frerejean Frères Blanc de Blancs (€62.90) leads the selection: warm brioche, fresh walnuts, dried apricot. The Laurent-Perrier Cuvée in a gift box (€88.80) offers zesty, floral freshness; the Pol Roger Brut Réserve (€91.90), served at Prince William’s wedding, boasts Champagne’s finest effervescence; the Taittinger Brut Prestige (€98.90), showcasing the finesse of Chardonnay; the Billecart-Salmon Le Réserve (€99.55), with the ethereal precision of Mareuil-sur-Aÿ; the Gosset Grande Réserve (€104.90), embodying the richness of Champagne’s oldest house. For a summer terrace, the Moët & Chandon Ice Impérial (€124.80) is best served over ice. And for those seeking character, the Bollinger Special Cuvée (€127.90): Pinot Noir, oak ageing, a dense palate that holds its own throughout an entire meal. Our guides to Pol Roger, Billecart-Salmon, Bollinger, Laurent-Perrier and Moët & Chandon provide detailed information on each house.
Rosé and blanc de blancs in magnums
The Laurent-Perrier Cuvée Rosé in a magnum (€179) is the ultimate celebratory rosé: 100 per cent macerated Pinot Noir, with notes of raspberry, redcurrant and black cherry, presented in the iconic Henri IV-style bottle that everyone recognises. The Billecart-Salmon Blanc de Blancs in a magnum, in a wooden box (€172), pairs perfectly with a seafood platter for twelve: acacia blossom, lemon zest and fresh chalk.
Jeroboams: for twenty-four flutes
For sixteen guests or more, the three-litre jeroboam is the obvious choice: the Deutz Brut Classic (€249) — pear, citrus, white flowers, one of Champagne’s most consistent bruts — or the Taittinger Brut Prestige (€279), white peach, acacia, hawthorn. Make sure you have a suitably sized bucket or cool box: a jeroboam weighs over five kilos.
Great vintage champagnes in magnums: ageing and cellaring
This is where the magnum really comes into its own. On 15 May 2025, Laurent-Perrier disgorged three ‘Réserve’ magnums after nearly twenty years on the lees: the 2006 Vintage Brut (€289), honeyed pear and buttered brioche; the 2004 (€299), orange peel, toast, almond; the 2002 (€319), honey, dried fruit, chalk — each in a wooden case. At Deutz, the William Deutz 2014 (€338) andthe Amour de Deutz 2013 (€349) are the prestigious cuvées from the Aÿ-based house in large formats, as isthe Amour de Deutz 2011 (€349 without a presentation box, €378 in a presentation box) — as described in our Deutz guide. And at the very top of the range, the 2008 Rare Millésime in magnum format (€480), one of the greatest vintages of the century in the format that will allow it to age for thirty years — see our Rare Champagne guide.
Magnum prices: what to expect
| Size and cuvée | Observed prices (incl. VAT) |
|---|
| Frerejean Frères Blanc de Blancs magnum | €62.90 |
| Magnums: Laurent-Perrier La Cuvée / Pol Roger / Taittinger / Billecart-Salmon / Gosset | €88.80 to €104.90 |
| Moët Ice Impérial / Bollinger Special Cuvée magnums | €124.80 / €127.90 |
| Billecart-Salmon Blanc de Blancs / Laurent-Perrier Cuvée Rosé magnums | €172 / €179 |
| Jéroboams Deutz Brut Classic / Taittinger Brut Prestige | €249 / €279 |
| Magnums Laurent-Perrier Millésimé 2006 / 2004 / 2002 | €289 / €299 / €319 |
| Magnums: William Deutz 2014 / Amour de Deutz 2013 and 2011 | €338 / €349 to €378 |
| Rare Millésime 2008 magnum | €480 |
Prices as at September 2026 in our cellar; large-format bottles are often available in limited quantities. Delivery is free on orders of €300 or more in mainland France, and you’ll receive a €40 discount on orders of €500 or more and a €100 discount on orders of €1,000 or more: three magnums of brut qualify for free delivery.
Which magnum for which occasion?
- A wedding or a reception: Pol Roger, Taittinger or Billecart-Salmon — see our guide on how many bottles to buy for a wedding and our page on buying champagne for weddings for quantities.
- Christmas Eve or New Year’s Eve: Bollinger Special Cuvée with the meal, Laurent-Perrier Cuvée Rosé with dessert — see the best champagnes for Christmas 2026.
- A 16th birthday: a Deutz or Taittinger jeroboam.
- A memorable gift: a Laurent-Perrier vintage in a wooden case, or Amour de Deutz.
- Building a wine cellar: the great vintage champagnes — they’ll age best in magnums.
Chilling, opening and serving a magnum
A magnum takes twice as long to chill: four hours in the fridge, or thirty minutes in a large bucket filled with water, ice and a handful of coarse salt — our method for chilling a bottle quickly applies, but double the times. When opening, hold the cork firmly: the pressure is the same as in a standard bottle but the grip is wider; here’s our advice on how to uncork like a professional, and for the more daring, how to sabre a magnum. Serve with both hands, one under the base, the other around the neck, filling the glass to a third of its capacity. A partially consumed magnum will keep for twenty-four hours in a cool place with an airtight stopper. For storage, keep the bottle lying down, away from light, at a temperature of between 10 and 15 °C — see our storage advice — and discover our full range of vintage champagnes and all our other champagnes.
