Serendipitous. I was just chatting with my local store about ordering some shorties for midweek consumption. I asked what (if any) was available from her distributors and she said the inventory showed some 347 different types. Weeding out the dessert and supermarket wines, there were plenty of standouts to my limited experience. I didn’t check all the regions and varietals as i was looking for a red and maybe a white, but there’s way more than i had imagined.
I ended up ordering a case of Cristom Pinot and Seghesio Zin to start. I may go back for a Chard or a Cab but am undecided on which to choose. Will have to check Italian varietals also…
Some notable notablesi wrote down were:
Ridge Lytton Springs
Ridge Geyserville
Corison Cab
Ridge Estate Cab
Mt veeder cab (several vintages)
Mt Brave Cab
Trefethen Chard
Miner Chard
Patz HAll Chard
St Innocent PN (several selections)
PAtty Green Balcombe PN
No guarantee all of these are actually in stock at the warehouses, but at least there are options.
I would have jumped all over the LdH halves, were it not for the shipping laws in DE and PA, the summer heat, etc. Too many things working against me.
Our stash is mostly Bordeaux and dessert wines. Occasionally I will come across Felsina Chianti and Billecart Salmon.
We use .375’s when we just want a glass with dinner and don’t won’t to be tempted to keep drinking afterwards, or when sneaking wine into places.
I wish I had created more room in the cellar for odd sizes. I have enough space above my racking to turn OWC’s on the side, and then I just lay the 375’s in. It is a pain to get to them or pull one out though.
A buddy and I split 750s half and half using these 375 sample bottles, available at a local place here in Sonoma County:
We’ve found that the 28 mm metal screw caps work better. Stability has been fine if you do the transfer quickly (and carefully, use a funnel!) and cellar them at 55C.
Sounds reasonable for short-ish term storage. I know someone who used to post did add sulfites when splitting 750s into 375s and was happy with the long-term results.
For me, and my interest in 375s, that approach just does not work and is not worth the hassle or risk. I’m looking for the long-term hold, where I can drink a fully mature wine any time I want, say midweek, without the need to kill a full bottle. If this were a short-term thing, say to drink in 2-3 years, I’m fine with drinking that young bottle over the course of two nights. Sticking the remainder of the bottle into a regular fridge normally works for me.
I love 375s and am always looking for them. I usually drink red and the better half doesn’t. 375s are thus a great way for me to not waste vino. For New Jersey people, I find that Gary’s usually has a decent selection of them by varietal and region.
I bought a Coravin and a separate argon tank and line. It has totally changed the way I think about 375ML bottles. I agree with you – it’s great to have them. But the Coravin option is something to think about.
Great point on the Coravin. I got one for Fathers Day this year and have only used it twice so far. Need to get that thing into the rotation I suppose and perhaps that changes things.
Not to stir the pot…but I just had an Arietta Hudson H Block in 500ml that was a perfect pour for my SO and I. What an awesome find at $40 a fraction of the “real cost”.
Great thread! I’ve always had a somewhat inexplicable fondness for half bottles. I wish more vintage champagnes were bottled in halves. But then again I heard recently that krug is thinking about stopping making 375s bc they aren’t satisfied with how they age. So maybe champagne isn’t so great for halves. though it sure would be convenient.
I have had some tremendous luck with older Bordeaux showing extremely well in halves. I have had great 34 cheval and HB recently and 53 lafite. In fact I have a running debate with a friend who swears he likes 34 HB better out of 375. We have done it head to head a Cpl times and I cant disagree.
So my advice is go with Bordeaux. It seems to do great in 375.