Doing Things by Halves Can Pay Off

Half hearted and, worse, half baked are often criticisms – of “stickability” or even “candle-power”!

But wine drinking is about enjoyment and pleasure rather than tenacity or anything else.

So, on the enjoyment theme, I am going to examine why we should consider buying half bottles.

Here are six reasons for doing so.

• The first consideration for many is health and controlling volumes. A half bottle between two provides about a standard pub glass each, or a small glass (125ml) between three.
• Smaller sizes are good for households of one person, or with just one wine drinker.
• Flexibility is another consideration. Two people can share a half bottle of white with the first course and a red equivalent with the main course.
• It can keep total spend down a bit too.
• Two half bottles double the opportunities for experimentation but at least allow, say, a half bottle of something new accompanying a half bottle of something known to be reliable.
• Wine seems to age faster in half bottles since there is roughly the same air exposure but half the liquid volume – but that also lets you try older vintages sooner, perhaps before buying full bottles

In fairness there are disadvantages.

• Although the availability of half bottles is increasing, the choice still tends to be more limited.
• Since producing, transporting and labelling half bottles is more than 50% of the cost of doing so for full bottles, the cost per volume is higher (that’s one for the accountants among you!).
• And the mirror image of the aging point, the moment at which oxidation becomes a disadvantage arrives sooner (i.e. you can’t keep them as long).

Since some retailers are reporting an increase in demand for half bottles, I am going to assume that the case in favour wins the day and look at good examples.

Something I didn’t expect is that this was one my best home-based tastings of the year.

Lots of good wines, many with a traditional style that made the years drop away for an old romantic like me.

Bear in mind, however, that prices here reflect the quality of the wine on offer.

The images and hyperlinks provided should help you to find them on the web page.

Starting on the Loire

2024 Domaine André Vatan ‘Les Charmes’ Blanc Sancerre (£11.95 at Yapp and 12.5% abv).

With the world of sauvignon blanc dominated now – and understandably – by powerhouse New Zealand versions, it is nice to get back to basics.

This reminds me so much of why I first fell in love with the variety and how brilliantly experienced Loire producers can handle it.

Nicely textured with grassy and pea shoot aromas, it delivers soft apple, ripe melon and passion fruit flavours and a cocktail of others.

There is an aura of ripeness running through the entire wine, but this is skilfully counterbalanced by firm lime and grapefruit acidity.

Next on to Bordeaux

2015 Château Dutruch Grand Poujeaux, Moulis-en-Médoc (£12.50 at The Wine Society and 13%):

A beautiful sense of nostalgia here with traditional style, nicely aged, claret that will delight those with memories that predate today’s focus on fruit-driven reds.

I sometimes wonder whether a love of those mineral and leafy options now belong to a bygone era – but then I pour a glassful of wine like this and don’t care any more!

Dark with a classic vegetal claret nose, this features smooth blackcurrant, mulberry and prune flavours with gentle acidity.

Even after 10 years the tannin remains firm but supplements (rather than obscures) the wine’s touches of menthol, bay leaves and allspice and, of course, graphite savouriness.

Sweetening things up nicely

2023 Domaine de l’Ancienne Cure Monbazillac (£10.90 at Yapp and 12.5%)

While I would not dispute that top level Sauternes is the king of sweeties, prices are often substantial as a result.

However, Southwest France’s Montbazillac region can often provide impressive sweet wines led by botrytised sémillon (and, here, with a dash of muscadelle) but at more affordable levels.

Illustrating what happens when honey based sweetness is perfectly offset by acidity, this result tastes delightfully opulent yet is never cloying.

It has ginger-edged red apple and marmalade flavours within an orange curd texture and, as I say, citrus based acidity.

Other half bottles I can warmly recommend.

• 2024 Mâcon-Villages, Domaine Mallory et Benjamin Talmard (£6.75 at The Wine Society and 13.5%): Aromatic and smooth with a crème brulee texture containing peach, pineapple and pear flavours and just a hint of chalkiness. 
• 2022 Dopff & Irion Gewurztraminer, Cuvée René Dopff (£10.30 at Tanners and 13.5%): Suitably exotic flavours and aromas from this Alsace signature grape with a Turkish Delight and lychee base and grapefruit acidity to keep it light.

NB:- A retailer with an impressive choice of half bottles.

• 2023 The Societys Exhibition Mendoza Malbec (£7.50 at The Wine Society and 13.5%): The only new world wine in the tasting but one with dense yet medium bodied loganberry and damson flavours.
• 2022 Jules de Souzy Fleurie (£11.90 at Halfwine.com and 13.5%): Soft and juicy Beaujolais with black cherry and red plum flavours, lively acidity and traces of coffee.

NB:- This retailer is a half bottle specialist.

• 2021 Le Vieux Donjon: Chateauneuf du Pape (£23.50 at Yapps and 15%): Full, powerful red wine from that iconic (and never cheap) region with, here, bramble and loganberry fruit with spice and herbal twists and orange based acidity.

And the moral of the story is, perhaps, to move on one step from our “Drink less but better” mantra to say:

Halve the volume and double the pleasure.

My next post (on Monday) contains terrific recommendations of Top Tips for you in the weekly feature of the same name.