Lamenting the paucity of half bottles

I’m deliberately only writing about one wine this week, which is quite unusual for Cork Talk, as regular readers will know. The wine concerned isn’t the finest of wines, though perfectly drinkable – it does what it sets out to do. However, it’s not really the wine that is my point in today’s column.

One, is a significant number, considering the above title. It’s indicative of the choice, generally, of wine in half bottles that we have in supermarkets and also, more damning, often in wine shops too.

I posted a similar comment on social media recently and received lighthearted messages to the effect that a full bottle was better as there was more to drink! Oh, yeah, I get it, don’t worry – the more so in these very difficult times. Although, hey folks, we shouldn’t be turning to the bottle ( or the half bottle) as a means escaping our worries, depression, stress etc.

But there are definitely times when a half bottle is just the answer.

Covid apart, I think we are all becoming a little more aware of the dangers of drinking too much. My heart attack certainly helped me focus on this issue. I know it’s something that most people would jump at, being paid to drink, but it has its pitfalls of course. In order to satisfy the various platforms on which I’m working right now it’s quite clear that I have to drink wine! However, I can make adjustments, and have done so.

Wine judging is now out, which is a great loss to me as I really enjoyed it, here in Spain but also internationally – nice work if you can get it! However, if faced with 60 – 80 wines in a threehour session nowadays, as is the norm for judging events, well, I couldn’t face it. Yet, I still love my wine!

So, I’ve looked at the management of my wine tasting commitments and have also included totally alcohol free days. It works, and it’s not too painful. Plus, half bottles are a real help in this area.

Recently we enjoyed a quite rich green lentil based vegetarian dish, topped with cheese ( yes, I know, I’m limiting my cheese intake too!). We found that the half bottle of red wine pictured above was just right – not too big a wine to overpower the dish, but full enough for it to stand its ground. Plus, of course, it meant that we had just, what, about a glass and a half each. We were at home, so driving wasn’t an issue, we were simply happy to have enough to complement the dish. Half bottles – a first advantage.

Then of course there are those trips to restaurants – we are so lucky to still be able to do this without too many restrictions, unlike other parts of the world. When I arrive I always turn first to the wine list, sometimes to the chagrin of the rest of the party, as I’m always the last to make my food choices! When it’s just Claire and me what do we do, wine wise, if she wants fish and I want meat? Compromise with a rosado – well it would probably be fine with the fish, but not perfect with the meat?

Usually, because of the total absence of any half bottles listed, we feel restricted to just having a glass of each colour of the house wines. Fine, if the house wines are well chosen, but as we know, that can be a lottery. So, clearly again, a half bottle of each colour would be perfect. Plus, there’ll also be enough in each half bottle for us to try a sip of each other’s so we have the opportunity to try two different wines – something I’m always keen to do, for obvious reasons. Also, for those of an aesthetic mind – half bottles on the table look totally charming too!

Then, there is the gritty problem of driving home. A full bottle is likely to be too much, albeit shared, to ensure safe passage along roads policed by the Guardia. The designated driver can choose his/ her half bottle, savour it over the duration of the meal and be within the limit when leaving. It’s harder to do this when there is a 75cl bottle to tempt you!

I referred earlier to another reason why half bottles are good. Those with medical conditions, like myself, can still enjoy wine, if choosing a half bottle, yet restrict oneself, as above, far more easily than if confronted with a full bottle.

There are notes worth pointing out though – just so you are aware that when your remonstrating with the supermarket/ wine shop manager is successful and there is suddenly ( some hope) a large, varied selection of half bottles. Half bottles don’t last, unopened, as long as full 75cl bottles, and not at all as long as the larger again magnums.

This, for your interest, is because the neck and cork sizes of all three sizes of bottles is just the same – check it out when next in a wine shop ( I can only think of one supermarket that has a good selection of magnums too). This means that each size bottle has the same amount of air, and therefore oxygen in the empty space between the surface of the wine and the bottom of the cork. It’s this oxygen that ages the wine ( along with that which is already absorbed in the wine) – so the same amount of oxygen in a half bottle is going to have a great effect on the smaller amount of liquid. Therefore, half bottles age more quickly – worth noting when you next buy!

NB tomorrow, Sat 3rd Oct. I’ll be presenting my Wine Show on Valley FM www. valleyfm. es – six different wines from various parts of Spain, some great music including The Who, Paloma Faith, Neil Young and others, plus good wine chat too! I do hope you can join me – 12: 00 hrs – 13: 00 hrs ( CET).