If the title gets you asking do I think you should drink and have leftovers for the next day you are heading down the wrong train of thought. I wanted to see about half bottles of wine and put down a few thoughts and solutionsIn Australia we usually have the choice of a 750ml bottle or a glass of wine when we go out or when we are at home we usually have to open a full bottle. However when you travel to Europe you get a myriad of options from 100ml to 500ml or the usual bottle or 1l carafe in a restaurant. Additionally this quantum of choice extends to the liquor shop where you have 250ml, 375ml, 500ml and the standard 750ml bottle. Also these smaller bottles aren’t just limited to the cheap $2 bottle but top level wines, I hear the keyboards tapping in response with we have them here in Australia. You are correct we do but we just don’t make them popular or accessible to the public, the other day I saw Bollinger champagne half bottles for sale for $60 great but why would you when the full bottle is the same price.

The flexibility of bottle sizing allows you to order and buy various quantities to suit your needs at the time whether its a couple of glasses on your own after the family has gone to bed or switch wine styles during a meal. A perfect example is that two friends and I had a Lakes Folly vertical cabernets night we had 3 vintage half bottles which was perfect along with one other to finish the night off. These aren’t available at shops that often and usually straight from the winery.

I think that we miss the experience of true versatility with what we want to consume because of this. So for an example two of you are out for a nice dinner and you are having a seafood entrée and a and richer red meat main do you really think you will drink two full bottles? or buy by the glass? Well I am never a real fan of the single glass option as you don’t usually have much choice, you don’t know how long its been sitting for and if you want a 2nd glass you end up paying the price of a bottle. So the half bottle either 375ml or even the 500ml allows you to have the ability to choose and add to that overall meal or simple relaxing experience.

So with that in mind over the coming months we will be looking at building a portfolio of half bottles of fully imported wines from around the world for you our clients to try. So sit back and consider the mix and match of French, Italian, Swiss and Spanish wines that you can store in your “cellar” or wine fridge as you then contemplate the world and why you hadn’t done it sooner….

Peter