GET OUT THE BEST glassware. Polish up the silver. After we've convened in smaller groups for several years, this season calls for friends and family and celebrations aplenty—the perfect excuse then to pour from the biggest bottles and make a splash (though not literally; that would be a waste). Wine served in large-format bottles makes an outsize impression, and the ability to pour 10 to 12 glasses from a single magnum takes a multicourse-pairing dinner to the next level.
Besides the wow factor, large formats have a particular advantage: The liquid ages more slowly thanks to the greater ratio between the wine in the bottle and the air that
