For those of us who want a glass or so of wine with dinner, a half bottle seems the perfect size to share. We don’t have to worry about leftovers going bad or the temptation of drinking more than we intended. Sure, dessert wines and ports come in small bottles. Regular wine? Not so much.
That seems counterintuitive. Half bottles are perfect for sharing and less expensive to buy than their full-size counterparts. Yet half bottles are rarely seen on restaurant wine lists, market shelves or in winery tasting rooms. Turns out they’re great for consumers, but cost more — not less — for restaurants and stores to carry and wineries to produce. Those 375 ml bottles are out there, though, and some very good wines are available in this smaller format.