Are there any Half bottles that are affordable (less than $20), as daily drinkers that won’t break the bank?
I’ve been ordering Ridge half bottles and opening one up when I want a drink and no one else does, however at $20+ a split, I’m finding them to be rather costly; I am very fond of Ridge’s lineup, love the Estate Cab and Chard. I know for example Halcon, Scherrer, and Bedrock are quite the bang for the buck-enjoy there wines as well, but they are sold in full bottles.
Are there any affordable half bottles out there for a young wine enthusiast?
Thanks for your input.
Split = 187ml, half bottle = 375ml.
Hey Nolan, how about “welcome to Berserkers” for post #2.
Dad
You’re not much more of a welcome wagon than me.
Editted for you Nolan E.
I’m looking for Demi’s, 375 ml bottles. Any recommendations?
I always have a hard time buying half bottles, the price per ounce is usually a rip off.
Most decent wines will show better on the second day anyways, sometimes even on the third. I’d rather buy a 750ml and follow it over a few days if I’m drinking alone.
From what I hear, half bottles cost about the same to make as full bottles so fewer and fewer wineries are making them anymore.
Seghesio Sonoma Zin is pretty available in 375 and should run $11-15 depending on your market.
I’ve been drinking have bottles of 08 Pradeaux Bandol. They are perfect for when my wife doesn’t want to drink.
Posner and JJ Buckley sometimes have email blasts advertising a variety of 375s. I bought a case from JJB about a year and a half ago but wish I had bought more.
I like half bottles too. Generally they cost more per oz (sometimes significantly more) than a 750ml bottle, but when I find something on sale that is in my wheelhouse, I generally grab a few bottles.
I recently bought some Perrin Cotes du Rhone Reserve for my gf, who sometimes likes to have a glass when I’m not around. I don’t really care for most Cotes du Rhine (too ripe for me) but it’s worth a shot to see if you like it for the stupid cheap price of $5/bottle.
However, if you can’t find something you like in a half, you might consider using a funnel to transfer half of a 750ml bottle into a 375ml (preferably a screw cap). It should keep the next day and if you want to stick it away for much longer than that, you can throw it in the freezer (really).
Higginbotham - I forget his first name - of the vineyard by that name in Australia - told me about an interesting approach he had to that issue. He was in a nearly fatal car crash and after coming home from a long stay in the hospital, he looked at his wine cellar, considered his mortality, and decided he needed to pick up the pace of consumption. Every night, he took out a bottle, opened it, and immediately poured half of it into a clean 375, sealed it with one of those vacuum corks, sucked out the air, and put it in the refrigerator. He then enjoyed the rest of the bottle. The next day, he took out the 375 and drank it and repeated the process with a new bottled, so he got to try two wines every night and watch the “aging curve” on the bottle in the refrigerator. You can, of course, do this every other night and just have a 375. I tried it once or twice and it seems to work well with anything short of much older wines.
Novy, Morgan and Jaffurs all make $10 - $13/bottle Syrah and Viogner in 375’s. All are usually great QPR’s.
Mathew, check out a site called “half wit wines”. Their prices are just ok, but a couple times a year they have a sale and you can get some spectactular deals. The last they had some Ramey SC chard .375’s for $9.00, they were blowing out some reds also.
Welcome to the chase.
No affiliation.
I too am a fan of half bottles and order from Half Wit Wines from time to time when they offer wines I want on sale.
One of my consistent go-to sources for pinot, chardonnay and gewurtztraminer is Navarro in the Anderson Valley. The wines are very good for the price and they offer case discounts and several times a year 1 cent shipping promotions.
Halves of 2012 La Crema Sonoma Coast pinot go for about $10-$14. Acceptable everydayer.
I would have suggested Ridge Lytton Springs which I have been able to buy in PA at 16.00 per, and PA wines are frequently overpriced due to dual sales tax. Sounds like you are overpaying. Nevertheless a decent .375 well within your price range is Guigal’s Cotes du Rhone. Happy hunting.
Welcome to the board Matthew. One of my local haunts - Wine Exchange in Orange has a decent selection.
Couple that caught my eye -
French
Val de Mer Chablis 2011 - 9.99
Guigal Gigondas 2010 - 12.99
Domaine Tempier 2011 - 21.99
Robert Denogent St Veran 2011 (chard) - 19.99
US
Frogs Leap Sauv Blanc 2013 - 9.99
Hitching Post Pinot Noir 2012 - 8.99
Klinker Brick OV Zin 2011 - 9.99
http://www.winex.com/wineSearch.aspx?cmd=1&IncludeBordeaux=1&cboSize=375
I’ll add my voice to the group that says keep clean half bottles around and use them to split your 750s. We do this, and seal with a vacuvin. These last a long time, especially in the fridge. It’s a lot cheaper than buying half bottles.
BTW welcome to Wine Berserkers! The split vs. half bottle thing might seem pedantic, but honestly I didn’t click into this thread under the original title because I thought you were looking for 187ml bottles, for which I had no advice to share. Nolan E.'s advice was good, if not the most welcoming.
Tor has good 1/2 bottles. Maybe a tad higher price range.
Thanks for the Half Wit recommendation - just scored a few half-decent sales. The wife mainly drinks domestic PN, which I have no care for, and rarely drinks more than two glasses.
I scored a few Rebholz and Dr. Loosen, as well, as I dip my toe into the German Riesling vat.