SURELY EVERY wine lover is familiar with a magnum, twice the size of a standard 750ml bottle, but when last did anybody put a 6L methusalah on their table? Many of us would not be comfortable pouring wine from an 18L melchior or solomon bottle weighing over 30kg, let alone a primat, with the 27L goliath tipping the scales at more than 60kg! (For the names and sizes of every wine bottle, click here)

A number of South African wine producers use larger pack sizes periodically or for promotional purposes only, whereas the following wines from some of the country’s top cellars are currently readily available in big bottles. A 2022 update:

18L MELCHIOR / SOLOMON

Diemersdal Private Collection (Red Blend) @ R5250
Kanonkop Cabernet Sauvignon @ R16 900pb
Kanonkop Paul Sauer (Red Blend) @ R23 000pb
Kanonkop Pinotage @ R15 700pb
Rust en Vrede Estate (Red Blend) @ R14 000pb

15L NEBUCHADNEZZAR

Diemersdal Private Collection (Red Blend) @ R4250pb
Kanonkop Cabernet Sauvignon @ R13 100pb
Kanonkop Paul Sauer (Red Blend) @ R19 000pb
Kanonkop Pinotage @ R12 200pb
Rust en Vrede Estate (Red Blend) @ R11 000pb

12L BALTHAZAR

Diemersdal Private Collection (Red Blend) @ R2750pb
High Road Director’s Reserve (Red Blend) @ R12 000pb
Kanonkop Cabernet Sauvignon @ R10 300pb
Kanonkop Paul Sauer (Red Blend) @ R15 000pb
Kanonkop Pinotage @ R9500pb
Rust en Vrede Estate (Red Blend) @ R8800pb

9L SALMANAZAR

Diemersdal Private Collection (Red Blend) @ R2200pb
Kanonkop Cabernet Sauvignon @ R7600pb
Kanonkop Paul Sauer (Red Blend) @ R11 000pb
Kanonkop Pinotage @ R7100pb
Rust en Vrede Estate (Red Blend) @ R6500pb

6L METHUSELAH/ IMPERIAL

Chocolate Block (Red Blend from Boekenhoutskloof) @ R3000pb

5L REHOBOAM

Diemersdal Private Collection (Red Blend) @ R1100pb
High Road Director’s Reserve (Red Blend) @ R5000pb
Kanonkop Cabernet Sauvignon @ R4000pb
Kanonkop Paul Sauer (Red Blend) @ R6000pb
Kanonkop Pinotage @ R3600pb
Rust en Vrede Estate (Red Blend) @ R3600pb

3L JEROBOAM / DOUBLE MAGNUM

Chocolate Block (Red Blend from Boekenhoutskloof) @ R1150pb
De Grendel Merlot @ R1000pb
Diemersdal Private Collection (Red Blend) @ R625pb
High Road Director’s Reserve (Red Blend) @ R3000pb
Kanonkop Cabernet Sauvignon @ R2400pb
Kanonkop Paul Sauer (Red Blend) @ R3400pb
Kanonkop Pinotage @ R2200pb
Rust en Vrede Estate (Red Blend) @ R2200pb

1.5L MAGNUM

Alto Rouge @ R250pb
Beeslaar Pinotage @ R1350pb
Beyerskloof Pinotage @ R185pb
Bouchard Finlayson Galpin Peak Pinot Noir @ R915pb
Bouchard Finlayson Hanibal (Red Blend) @ R815pb
Constantia Glen Five (Red Blend) @ R950pb
Constantia Glen Three (Red Blend) @ R740pb
Constantia Glen Two (White Blend) @ R600pb
De Grendel Elim Shiraz @ R930pb
De Grendel Merlot @ R600pb
Delaire Graff Cabernet Franc Rosé @ R300pb
Delaire Graff Botmaskop (Red Blend) @ R670pb
Delheim Cabernet Sauvignon @ R600pb
Delheim Grand Reserve (Red Blend) @ R1250pb
Delheim Vera Cruz Pinotage @ R1350pb
Delheim Vera Cruz Shiraz @ R1750pb
Diemersdal Private Collection (Red Blend) @ R330pb
Diemersfontein Pinotage @ R273pb
Eagles’ Nest Merlot @ R435pb
Eagles’ Nest Shiraz @ R655pb
Eagles’ Nest Viognier @ R435pb
Fairview Broken Barrel (Red Blend) @ R495pb
Glenelly Estate Reserve (Red Blend) @ R670pb
Graham Beck Brut NV (MCC) @ R360pb
Graham Beck 30th Celebratory NV (MCC) @ R850pb
Groot Constantia Gouverneurs Reserve (Red Blend) @ R1260pb
High Road Cabernet Sauvignon @ R1500pb
High Road Director’s Reserve (Red Blend) @ R2000pb
Holden Manz Big G (Red Blend) @ R610pb
Holden Manz Cabernet Franc Reserve @ R1410pb
Holden Manz Chardonnay @ R590pb
Holden Manz Hiro Rosé @ R460pb
Holden Manz Merlot Reserve @ R1070pb
Holden Manz Syrah Reserve @ R1320pb
Jordan Barrel Fermented Chardonnay @ R690pb
Jordan Cobblers Hill (Red Blend) @ R1750pb
Jordan Long Fuse Cabernet Sauvignon @ R660pb
Kanonkop Cabernet Sauvignon @ R1080pb
Kanonkop Paul Sauer (Red Blend) @ R1700pb
Kanonkop Pinotage @ R980pb
Kanonkop Kadette Cape Blend @ R260pb
Kanonkop Kadette Pinotage @ R280pb
Klein Constantia Brut (MCC) @ R600pb
Klein Constantia Cuvée Anabel Rosé @ R295pb
Klein Constantia Estate Red Blend @ R750pb
Klein Constantia Sauvignon Blanc @ R350pb
Klein Constantia Vin de Constance (Muscat de Frontignan Natural Sweet) @ R4155pb
Kleine Zalze Barrel Fermented Chardonnay @ R240pb
Kleine Zalze Brut NV (MCC) @ R275pb
Kleine Zalze Vintage Brut (MCC) @ R474pb
La Motte Brut (MCC) @ R780pb
La Motte Pierneef Syrah Viognier @ R598pb
La Motte Syrah @ R380pb
Le Riche Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon @ R1700pb
Leeu Passant Dry Red @ R2365pb
Lothian Chardonnay @ R750pb
Lothian Pinot Noir @ R750pb
Meerlust Cabernet Sauvignon @ R945pb
Meerlust Red @ R495pb
Meerlust Rubicon @ R1175pb
Mullineux Syrah @ R750pb
Nederburg Cabernet Sauvignon @ R220pb
Raats Old Vine Chenin Blanc @ R790pb
Rex Equus (Red Blend from Perdeberg) @ R1200pb
Rust en Vrede Estate (Red Blend) @ R1100pb
Saronsberg Cap Classique @ R650pb
Saronsberg Provence Shiraz @ R270pb
Saronsberg Seismic (Red Blend) @ R380pb
Simonsig Steen (Chenin) @ R500pb
Simonsig Tiara (Red Blend) @ R640pb
Survivor Cabernet Sauvignon @ R400pb
Survivor Chenin Blanc @ R320pb
Survivor Pinotage @ R400pb
Survivor Sauvignon Blanc @ R320pb
Vergelegen Reserve Merlot @ R600pb
Villiera Tradition Brut NV (MCC) @ R362pb
Villiera Tradition Brut Rosé NV (MCC) @ R362pb
Vondeling Philosophie (Red Blend) @ R1950pb
Wolftrap Red (from Boekenhoutskloof) @ R120pb