I’m just wondering if people have experience with whether the half-bottle is a problem for these wines’ aging ability. With the exception of Germans, I find it tough to put away a whole 750 of a stickie in a night or two.
Thanks.
I have some that are about 15 years old and they seem fine, but sometimes they don’t age as gracefully.
I’ve had splits back to 1978 (drunk a couple months ago). 10 years is nothing.
No problem at all. Tokaji-aszu never comes in 750s, it’s always in 500 ml bottles or smaller. I have plenty 1/2 bottles of sweet wines and I’m not worried and haven’t ever had something go wrong with one.
Halves for sauternes last a very long time. My plan is to keep them for decades and I expect no problems.
Steady on.
Not a problem in my experience. Proper storage is what matters. A couple of months ago, some friends and I had some '82 Yquem (750ml) and '88 Yquem (375ml), and the half bottle of '88 was in clearly better shape as far as I was concerned.
Am I the only one who still feels not right when someone calls a 375 ml a “split?” Splits are historically 187 ml. 375’s are half bottles. If I am the only one, never mind!
You are correct. It is a ‘half’, not a ‘split’. And I have had half btotles of Sauternes 35 years old that are excellent.
A teensy taste from an 1825 Yquem half revealed that it had aged gracefully. Yes 1825. [Davis & Co. pre-auction tasting many years ago]
no - it bugs me too - I resisted the urge last night to correct people - but am happy you didn’t resist.
I’ve had many 30+ year old bottles of Sauterne in impeccable condition.
I only buy sweet wines in 375’s now. My 750’s are hard to use and the few mags I have not sure what I was thinking.
PS…a split is 187ml
Agree wholeheartedly that good producers from good vintages will be fine in half bottles for decades. I’m drinking some 1975 La Tour Blanche and 1986 Lafaurie-Peyraguey these days from halves, and they’re fabulous.
I too am mostly buying only .375s in sweet wines, but because it is easier to drink especially if it’s just my wife and I. Although, I do still love to buy magnums for the occasions where we’ll have six or eight people, and may want to use the wine for both a foie gras course and dessert or cheese.
Some restaurants (like Bern’s), call the 375ml format a 1/10th.
Some restaurants (like Bern’s), call the 375ml format a 1/10th.
That’s a classic term from when a bottle was 1/5th of a gallon. A half bottle would naturally be 1/10th of a gallon. Now we use the metric 750 ml, slightly less than 1/5th.
Halves for sauternes is the way to go for me. Usually buys in half to full cases, depending on the fund available. That way, I can visit the stickie, every few years. Also if you have a few producers, from same vintage, make tasting a lot easier than full bottle, if you open a few of them halves.
Of course, full bottle have its purpose as well, like for a party, for me though I just open 2 halves, problem solved