You will be aware that I've bemoaned the disappearance of smaller format bottles of wine (500ml and 375ml) as a result of manufacturing and retailing 'efficiencies'. The cost structure - according to manufacturers and retailers - has made production and sale of these inefficient. They made this decision without consultation with or surveying of consumers. I guess they just know better.
When I first became involved in the wine industry, 375ml or half bottles were often the norm across many brands and wine styles regardless of the price and quality scale of the wines. More often than not there was a half bottle offering of Burgundies to a high level, Chateau bottled clarets up to First Growth levels, quality German wines at any level, top Australian, American, Italian, Spanish and even New Zealand wines often at top levels. No one talked about inefficiencies and consumers expected to pay more than half the price of a 750ml bottle for a 375ml one.
When supermarkets around the world began to dominate wine sales the wine category buyers in the supermarket chains began to bully suppliers on price, demanded promotional deals, 'sold' shelf spaces and dictated wine styles and packaging requirements. It wasn't a case of knowing best - more. a case of having power and flexing it indiscriminately not unlike the way that USA's stupidest president is doing on trade wars at present. A side effect of this has been the decline and almost eradication of the half bottle.
I haven't had much success in securing supply of quality half bottle wines (most offerings are at the basic quality level) across a range of varietals so have resorted to using my version of the ''solera' system.
The solera system is a fractional blending method used primarily for aging sherry but also employed for other beverages like brandy, beer, and certain types of wine. It involves blending wines of different ages in a dynamic process, with older wine gradually being replaced by younger wine over time.This continuous blending creates a consistent flavor profile and ensures a steady stream of aged product.
I don't blend or replace wine in my system although blending has become a norm for us e.g. Her Indoors likes Californian chardonnay while I prefer New Zealand Hawkes Bay chardonnay. Sometimes when I've bought a HB chardonnay that is a bit too woody or hasn't had enough good wood aging I blend a bit of her Californian chardonnay into it, The roundness and creaminess of the Californian gives a lift to the HB one. The reverse can work as well - I find the Californian style too over the top in Malo-like creaminess but with the structure and freshness of the HB chardonnay adding some improves the Californian. Does that make sense? Never mind - back to my 'solera' system.
As it is usually just me drinking the Hawkes Bay chardonnay or a pinot noir (she prefers zinfandels) I don't want to drink a whole bottle at a sitting (4 large glasses). I used to just leave a half a bottle in the fridge for coming back to a couple of days later. The problem with this is that I don't always want to drink the same wine again so soon after, preferring to mix and match my wine drinking and tasting. Wine in an opened bottle will still be good in the fridge (red, white or rose) for several days before it loses freshness.
What I do now is, on opening a bottle that's not being shared (like a Champagne) I immediately decant half of it into a clean 375 ml bottle - putting that away in the fridge and drinking the other half (2 glasses). If I only want one glass I decant half the bottle into a 375ml bottle and a quarter into a 187ml bottle. I put both of these away in the fridge for drinking later. You can see that this is a diminishing system where 750ml becomes 562ml or 375ml and can then become 187ml left. 4 glasses to 3 glasses to 2 glasses to 1 glass. Here's a pic showing a red wine I did this with recently:
The trick is to make sure that the bottles a scrupulously clean, have a good sealing scrap and to fill the wine up to the absolute top leaving no air between the top of the wine and the inside of the cap. I've found that, even in the smallest bottle the wine, kept in the fridge will be good for several weeks.
It might sound like a bit of a fankle (effort) but this is well worth doing to cut down on wastage with a good quality wine and to offer interest and variability in tasting.
