Uncorking a 3L bottle…best strategy?

WINE TALK
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I recently acquired a 3L bottle of a 2000 Napa Cabernet via a charity auction. I have never owned or opened a bottle of this size, but I do have an occasion in mind for it.
Curious as to the best strategy for getting the cork out? Obviously, the neck is a bit wider and the cork is a bit wider than a standard bottle. So, I’m a little gun-shy about approaching it with a “standard“ corkscrew. Also, obviously some concern about the cork’s integrity given the age. Can one tackle this with a Durand? All suggestions appreciated.

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3L is nothing to worry about. Just use a normal waiters key. Durand or ah-so isn’t going to work with the larger cork.

2000 is not that old. If it’s been well stored, the cork should look like it just came off the bottling line.

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Waiter’s key is the best answer. I like to pour that big a bottle into decanters to serve, I find it unwieldy to serve out of the bottle.

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Sometimes large formats have bores wider than the standard, so its possible that an Ah So / butlers key may not fit. I just compared an Imperial to a standard bottle and the former was ~ 1.5 in and the standard was ~ 1 in. I think the latter is actually to 18.5mm, but my tape measure was only in English.

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Way less cool though.

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I’m always suspicious of large format bottles at charity auction. Assuming that this is not a wine focused auction,
3L and larger bottles have probably not been stored correctly.

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If you think that’s tough, try drinking straight from a 3 L bottle with your mouth. Talk about a mess.

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And why would someone do that…?

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Entirely possible. That certainly entered my mind. However, this is a charity about which my wife and I are quite passionate, and they were essentially holding this without any offers, so I offered some money for the cause. Worst case scenario, the giant bottle is a fun conversation piece and the wine isn’t impressive, but I still supported a great cause.

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A 3L bottle is not that hard to open. You’l be fine no matter how you do it.

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Uncorking is no issue with a 3L, but you may want to stand it up a week or two ahead of time and siphon it into decanters for serving. If you serve out of the bottle, or decant into multiple decanters, you’ll be stirring whatever sediment is in there all up.

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It used an Ah-So on one recently and it was easy.

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If it’s for show, then get the sabre out! [berserker.gif] [wink.gif]

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I prefer a waiter’s corkscrew for larger bottles. The cork should be in good shape for '00. I would stand it up for a couple of weeks and decant it into magnum decanters or a large beverage dispenser like the one in the picture.
IMG_6600.JPG

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Au contraire, I actually think the only people who would buy a 3L in the first place are likely a wine enthusiasts … who then probably realized they have a 20 year old 3L bottle they’ve been storing forever and if they haven’t found a reason to open it in 20 years might never do so … and was generous enough to donate it.

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I purchased a 3L so I could drink it at a dinner party and then turn it into a table lamp. Both worked out well.

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I’ve seen plenty of large format bottle purchased at charity auctions sitting (trophy display) in sunny living rooms of generous folks who like to support their charities.

Time to redecorate? Send the big bottle to a different charity! champagne.gif

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because you’re 20 at the time and it seemed like a great idea. I would argue that it was.

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A sturdy waiter’s corkscrew works fine for a 3L. You really don’t need anything fancier.

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So what happened Nate?

The original post was from May. Has your occasion happened yet?