Do finer establishments that you frequent from time to time offer an adequate selection of 1/2 bottles (375 ml.)?
Do you purchase them for their size or contents?
If the same vintage and varietal were available in .375ml and .750ml what would motivate you to purchase one or the other? Since I have never purchased a 1/2 bottle in a restaurant I am interested in some feedback.

Neither restaurants nor retailers in my area have nearly enough half bottles.

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Do you purchase them for their size or contents?

If I'm looking for a half bottle in the first place, size is the primary motivator. Obviously contents are very important as well.

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If the same vintage and varietal were available in .375ml and .750ml what would motivate you to purchase one or the other?

The number of drinkers.

PH

Restaurants rarely have enough 375s. Only ones with really good wine lists have more than a handful, if any at all.

Something I often do is take a nice mature red and buy a white or sparkler from the list to start with. Chances are I'll be looking at the $40 domestic rather than the $100 champagne, but if the $100 champagne is also available as a $50 375 then I'll probably go for it.

Even better, some Bay Area restaurants comp corkage with purchase, and don't discriminate against 375s.

There's a place in nyc called park blue that offers nothing but half bottles.

more of a lounge but they do have great mini burgers.

mmm in terms fo restaurants, there was one in rome right off the panthelon that had a whole list of bordeaux's from the 80s for decent prices. I think I had an 83 lynch bages (not that good) but it was I *think* 50 euros (very inebriated that night)

and i totally agree with Dave on the champagne.

I would want a 375 only when I'm alone -- otherwise, it's 750s. Most good restaurants have a better selection of by-the-glass wines than of 375s, but it would be nice to see more small bottles available when I dine alone.

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Originally posted by RDCollins:
I would want a 375 only when I'm alone -- otherwise, it's 750s. Most good restaurants have a better selection of by-the-glass wines than of 375s, but it would be nice to see more small bottles available when I dine alone.

When faced with this situation, I prefer to make new friends quickly and get a 750.

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Originally posted by Stefania Wine:

quote:

Originally posted by RDCollins:
I would want a 375 only when I'm alone -- otherwise, it's 750s. Most good restaurants have a better selection of by-the-glass wines than of 375s, but it would be nice to see more small bottles available when I dine alone.

When faced with this situation, I prefer to make new friends quickly and get a 750.

mmm unfortunately the floor and I are already well acquainted with each other.

You're the wine pro, so why don't you tell us?

Many of the restaurants I have dined in lately in Toronto do not have 375 ml. bottles on their list. Most of you on this forum have far more experience in fine dining than I do. i asked this question to get some feedback regarding this, mostly to see if there was a market for 1/2 bottles for the restaurants.

I think there is a huge market for it. When my wife and I go out for dinner we will consume a bottle maybe a bottle and a half of wine. The half bottle selection is ideal for us. 1/2 a bottle of white or sparkler, 1/2 bottle of red, and if we are up for it, 1/2 bottle of sweet.

We toyed with doing half bottles and were told by our advisor not to. It is another SKU; which is something most distributors do not want to deal with. Also making 375's are more expensive than doing 750's. The glass for a case of 375's is about 1$ less than a case of glass for 750's (so double your glass cost)and then you are paying for twice as many corks, capsules and labels. Also if you have the label fit the 375 perfectly there is the additional cost of resetting the label sizes and print run set up charges (not cheap). Add to that no one wants to pay more than half of the 750 price so.... I personally love 375's but unfortunatley it does not make a lot of business sense.

HG - I rarely see 375's for half the price of a 750 and truly don't mind paying a reasonable premium. I don't think I'm alone in this.

PH

The only 1/2 bottles I see are for dessert wines. Have not found a list here with a 1/2 bottle for many years.

When faced with the issue I buy a 750, and drink what I want, then have it corked, wrapped, and take it home. Legal in FL now. Also buying a full and take home, cuts down the per glass cost.

I like the idea of 375 bottles, especially for Champagne. I am seeing more splits, both at retail and restaurants. Sometimes, half bottles can be useful for food and wine pairings. Most restaurants now have decent, but not spectacular choices by the glass. If you are willing to spend a little bit more, you can get a nicer wine in a 375 at some extablishments. For example, we recently were able to get a split of white Burgundy for appetizer course and a 375 of Ridge Monte Bello for the main course. If the wine by the glass selection is equal or superior, then the point is moot.

I've spoken with a lot of our suppliers and winemakers about making 375's and for most it's just not cost productive (E.G. The bottling line has to stop and be converted to fit 375's). It's ashame, especially when you want to try a few different wines at dinner as mentioned by a few on this thread.

i was brought on board at the hotel i work for last spring to bring the dining room up to a certain level. on of the first things i did was invest heavily in half bottle's.

i realized that alot of our hotel guests are business men and women traveling alone, and the half bottle has a been very well recieved.

as far as the cost issue, i can see that, but i'm in the position of having the luxury between room service, two lounges, banquests and the restaurant that i can absorb some cost abnormalities to offer the selection.

currently i have 120 wines on my list, and about 40% of those are half-bottle/splits. the feedback is good, and its fun to play around on a new level.

corey

I just came across this website that apparantly sells nothing by 375's. I've never heard of it- has anyone had an experience with them?
They seem to have a nice selection.

Sorry, not sure how to make this a hyperlink.
www.halfwitwines.com

The French Laundry had a pretty good selection of 375s and Bistro l'Hotel in Beaune had a great selection of Burgundy in 375, if I remember right. I'm pretty sure we drank three 375s and not three 750s, because that would be excessive for two, especially when I do the majority of the drinking.

I absolutely love half bottles. They're great when travelling on business, or when the person you're with isn't drinking or at home, when all you feel like is a couple of glasses of a really nice wine. I wish there were lots more.

Right now, I have in my cellar a solid vertical of Beaucastels, some Dead Arm, Segla, a couple of Amarones, Chianti Classicos, a couple of La Gerla BdMs, some Guigal CdPs and of course a number of Sauternes, including my most prized bottles, a couple of d'Yquem '01s. I look for them in every store, and if something good is available, I grab it.

More halves, I say. Common wisdom is that they age more quickly. I haven't actually experienced that yet, but maybe it's true.

I have none in my cellar but love them in restaurants so you can try more bottles.

funny for the chance to chime in on this topic, as just this week i picked up a few more half bottle selections for my restaurant.
this is an area i love adding to, and i've witnessed increased interest and increased sales. so many reasons to like them. picked up some 99 lopez rioja riserva and some 06 morey "morgeot" 1er chassagne. we've got just over 500 selections, with around 30 halves. great to hear there's such interest. it will inspire me to buy more!! ; )

lorddali - What restaurant are you with?

PH

I work for Mill Pond House in Centerport and Piccolo of Huntington. Will you be in the area soon? Mill Pond is beautiful in the spring/summer. We have a patio with waterfront seating and an authentic tiki bar brought up from the florida keys. not a bad spot to enjoy a few hours...

No immediate plans, but I get up that way from time to time. I'll definietly look you up when I do.

PH

sweet! it would be cool to hook up with someone from the forums! please do look us up when you're in the neighborhood!
ps, we already sold a bottle of that morey 1er cru chassagne this week...all the encouragement i need to keep addin 375s!!