This article was originally published in October 2020.

Though the smaller format has a shorter shelf life, it provides the benefit of maturing faster – and is often the perfect amount.

I am still finding it very hard to wean myself off my lockdown beverage, the half-bottle of wine. I live on my own, and the 375ml is the perfect fit for a middle-aged wine merchant who is reasonably mindful of the temptations that go with an ever-lengthening career in booze. Magnums of tequila might well have offered interesting angles on the various government responses to coronavirus, but probably an unwise shout, all things considered.

I had completely forgotten how much pleasure the smaller format brings to the table. Back in the 1990s, halves were everywhere, offering excellent flexibility, especially in restaurants: ideal for a solo diner or à deux, even
two between three – sommeliers were constantly asking for availabilities of both colours. And supplies were relatively short, as growers only bottled to order.

Then things tailed off: more wines started to be offered by the glass, and recently posh Enomatic machines have come into play enabling a variety of measures to be dispensed while keeping the wine free of oxidation (accountants punched the air in triumph as wastage severely reduced). Even that most dependable of staples, the dessert wine, fell out of favour.

To be fair, halves could be a bit flaky: whereas a full-sized bottle of Sancerre is still fresh three years after the vintage, its smaller sibling could often fall apart within 12-18 months. Perfect storage conditions, always important for wine anyway, become even more vital.

However, that short shelf life also works the other way, with just a bit of organisation. While whites may not last too long, at least they are ready to go from the off – an inch-perfect 2019 Pouilly-Fumé springs to mind, consumed joyously with some M&S smoked trout.

And it’s even better for reds: their faster rate of maturation means that whether your chosen is Côtes du Rhône, red burgundy or Cru Classé claret, the wine is up for it much more quickly. Indeed, talking of that last tipple, one customer who loves to lay down some Bordeaux in every vintage now purchases only in halves – he reasons, quite astutely, that as he edges towards his mid-sixties it might be foolish to buy a 75cl of the 2019 vintage that might not open up until 2035… whereas a drinking window of 2027-30 is a much more compelling option.

Furthermore, were it to be a period of restraint and austerity when he starts pulling those corks, he would be able to have a single large glass, pop the remainder into the fridge, and return to it the following night (remembering to take it out ahead of time, of course).

I did exactly that with a half of Jean-Paul Versino’s 2015 Châteauneuf du Pape: a very good year, lots of concentration. Juicy, ripe, brambly Grenache, it was delicious. But I resisted the urge to finish, knowing that yet another quiet night in beckoned the following day. And 24 hours later, the wine was definitely better, with more harmony and flow on the palate. It went down like the proverbial. The only problem was the result: I then desired another half.