Joelle Thomson ponders the future of the humble
half bottle of wine…

The late and exceptionally great food writer, Elizabeth David, once wrote that she didn’t know what came over waiters when a woman ordered a full bottle of wine. Twice in one week, she explained, she was given a half bottle instead of a full one, despite having simply asked for “A bottle of X,Y or Z…”

“I suppose the assumption on the part of wine waiters that women are too frail to consume or too stingy to pay for a whole bottle must be based on some sort of experience, but instead of having to go back to change the order, he could inquire in the first place,” she famously vented in one of her outstanding columns in The Spectator. “A bottle, madam? A whole bottle. Do you know how large a whole bottle is?”

It might have been 1962 but have we really progressed?

Aside from the fact that half bottles are not widely available in most restaurants these days, I often know how she felt when ordering wine from male waiters, who, I find, often double check as to whether I am certain that I would like a glass or bottle of X, Y or Z wine, presumably due to its scarcity, price, or particular taste. “I find that people prefer this wine by far and find that one quite challenging,” is a common refrain, which borders on the boring, but I digress. What I really wanted to talk about in this column is half bottles: They are pretty rare these days, but could they make a comeback?

It was a surprisingly complex half bottle of 2014 Escarpment Pinot Noir that led to huge sales of the wine mid-year. This little half bottle of deliciousness was drinking exceptionally well, but the winery was finding it difficult to sell. I asked for a sample to taste with staff at Regional Wines & Spirits in Wellington, where I work part-time as a wine advisor. The staff loved it, so we bought 24 bottles – they sold out in a day and within the week we had sold 84 bottles. Why did they sell so easily?

Firstly, the retail staff had all tried the wine and tasted first-hand just how good it was. Secondly, prominent product placement and price made it an easy option for customers popping in for a quick bottle of red. A sample of customer feedback: “I wish there were more half bottles because that’s the perfect amount just for me, since my partner doesn’t always want to drink the same thing.”

Those living alone also said they felt more comfortable opening a half bottle rather than a full one mid-week. And $24.99 for a half bottle is within reach for a top-quality wine, whereas $49.99 or more can seem a stretch too far.

The winery has now entirely sold out of its half bottles. Bring back the half bottle. We wine drinkers will buy them in retail and in restaurants.

Try this:
2021 Escarpment Martinborough Pinot Noir (RRP $49.99)
A keeper with powerful structure from a small vintage in Martinborough where volumes were down by about 50%, due to cool weather. This small harvest resulted in wines of fantastic structure and depth of flavour. Earthy notes and bold powerful red cherry aromas will develop with time into a great wine.

Note: Escarpment Vineyard’s wines are distributed nationwide by Vintners NZ, whose highly esteemed general manager, Ric Little, passed away in August, aged 52. He leaves many friends in wine and food and will be greatly missed.

Joelle Thomson is a journalist, wine writer and author.

joellethomson.com