For The Love Of Port

I've seen the claim made that 375ml bottles mature/age more quickly than traditional 750ml bottles. Is there actually truth to this? Curious if anyone had thoughts on this.

Scientific proof? No. More empirical evidence than you could imagine? Yes.

Just like large format ages slower than 750’s.

Makes sense. I like to buy the 375ml size whenever they’re available. A slightly quicker maturation is a nice benefit.

What Andy said. I don't recall having ever seen even a semi-scientific study done, but there's a ton of non-scientific anecdotal evidence.

Most of my experience in that area is with magnums, and they very much seem to mature more slowly. It's a little difficult to tell with Port, though, for two reasons.

1. Port matures so slowly anyway that the difference is minimal until the bottles are old enough that simple bottle variation itself is a significant risk.

2. Port magnums are often (if not usually) bottled by hand rather than on a bottling line, and that hand-bottled care may also have an effect on long-term results. More on the bottle variation side of things, but it's still relevant. If you're comparing a "random" 750ml bottle with a hand-bottled and so likely to be "good" magnum, you're not truly comparing apples to apples.

Those things said, it does still seem like there's a "preponderance of evidence" that a magnum ages more slowly than a bottle.

If someone has any 375ml bottles of 1977 Gould Campbell, let me know. I have magnums and 750s and it might be fun to try all 3 side-by-side-by-side.

What causes bottles to mature? Here are two things to consider:

• Breathing through the cork: Sure, a cork makes a pretty good seal. But it isn't a hermetic seal. Over time there can still be some exchange of gases through the cork. In terms of diameter, the cork in a 375ml bottle is the same as a 750ml bottle. But the volume in the bottle is less. So the ratio of cork exposure to volume is higher in the small bottle. And 375ml bottles sometimes have shorter corks as well.
• Temperature cycles: A smaller bottle also has a higher surface area to volume ratio. So if there is temperature variation, the liquid in a smaller bottle is potentially going to experience it more, depending on timing.

Glenn E. wrote: ↑Thu Feb 02, 2023 11:16 am...If someone has any 375ml bottles of 1977 Gould Campbell, let me know. I have magnums and 750s and it might be fun to try all 3 side-by-side-by-side.

That would be a nice Port to test out the theory.

Mike J. W. wrote: ↑Fri Feb 03, 2023 8:38 am

Glenn E. wrote: ↑Thu Feb 02, 2023 11:16 am...If someone has any 375ml bottles of 1977 Gould Campbell, let me know. I have magnums and 750s and it might be fun to try all 3 side-by-side-by-side.

That would be a nice Port to test out the theory.

Or one of the other main brand SFE 1977 Ports. They released Dow, Graham and Warre in (proper) 2.1 litre Tappit Hens.

You'd have to age the 375 and 750 from purchase together in the same cellar to really know. 375's are useful when you don't want an event; just some port. I wish I owned more 375's.