Chateau Dauzac 1997, Margaux (1x600cl)

Six litres. That's eight normal bottles in one piece of glass, the format Bordeaux calls an Imperial, and it is genuinely a two-person lift. This is the bottle you buy for a wedding table, a company dinner or a big client night, because carrying it into the room is half the event.

Two things to plan for. It is nearly thirty years old, so condition varies bottle to bottle and nobody can call it before opening. And you'll need a cradle or two steady pairs of hands plus a few decanters, since once it's open the whole six litres is committed.

Tasting notes

A mature left bank blend usually leans savoury rather than fruity: dried dark fruit, cedar, tobacco and a bit of earth, with soft tannins. Large formats typically age more slowly than 75cl bottles, so wines in this size often show a touch fresher than the vintage suggests.