375ml Bottles: Less is More
Do you sometimes find yourself about to open a bottle of wine, but only want one or two glasses on a school night? Us too! Here’s a trick we discovered a long time ago: half bottles. Now you can sip, savor and smile, as you'll soon find less is more when it comes to mid-week (or any day) drinking.
Half Bottle Heroes
The winery was founded by Giovanni Gaja in 1859 and has been owned and operated by five generations of the Gaja family. Angelo Gaja is one of Italy's most respected wine personalities. He took the reins in 1970 and was responsible for replanting many of its vineyards, introducing modern technology in the winery and bringing Piedmont into the 21st century. This Chardonnay is named after Angelo’s daughter Gaia and we love its bright acidity and notes of citrus, honeydew melon and minerality that perfectly balances its creaminess.
A Left Bank Bordeaux style from the Napa Valley born of the joint Californian venture between Robert Mondavi and the late Baron Philippe de Rothschild. Expect chocolate covered cherry, spice box and floral notes in this plush and strikingly balanced blend that absolutely could be from Bordeaux's Left Bank with its dominant 81% Cabernet Sauvignon and aging in French oak. Is this the world’s greatest winter warmer?!
It's uncommon in Rioja for a producer to own its vineyards but that's exactly what Bodegas López de Hereda does. They use the fruit from their 170-hectares which are split between four vineyards in Rioja Alta and Alavesa. Viña Tondonia is made from Tempranillo with some Graciano, Garnacha and Mazuelo from old vines that can be up to 100 years old. What's more, they release their wines only when they deem them ready. This is their top expression that has unmistakable energy and concentration and is a great food wine.
Tignanello is one of the original game-changing Super Tuscans that set the Tuscan - and Italian - wine world on a new trajectory in 1971. It's the ancient Antinori family's flagship wine that demands extensive aging. With vibrant blackberry, cassis and cedar notes, finishing with sweet spices and nutty oak flavors, this 1995 expression was a strong vintage and one that is now sitting comfortably in its drinking window.
No list of reputable half bottles could ever be complete without Château d'Yquem and the 2001 is so good it received no fewer than four 100 point scores from separate critics. “Heavenly”, “unadulterated brilliance”, a “rockstar”: these reviews speak for themselves. This legendary dessert wine is always a favorite and it's now entered its drinking window but will age effortlessly for years to come. Expect notes of intense peach, candied orange peel, lemon meringue pie and a crescendo of floral notes with a honeyed finish.
