Splits okay for Sauternes/Barsac 5-10 year aging?

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 :slight_smile:

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 neener