Susy Atkins finds that half measures hit the right spot

Wine in half bottles has never been so useful. Whether you’re home alone and want to open something fresh more often, or sharing your lockdown wine but trying to limit the intake, a 37.5cl bottle makes sense. Vicki Stephens-Clark, a master of wine who founded halves specialist The Little Fine Wine Company in 2018, firmly believes smaller bottles cut down on waste. And who wants to be pouring away stale wine these days?

Stephens-Clark sells 90 different wines in halves, including sherry, champagne, barolo and Provençal rosé. Her customers “might live alone or may be the only person in the household who drinks, or they may be in with partners or family who prefer entirely different styles of wine”, she says. “Halves are a clever idea if you want to match food throughout a meal too.” It’s also a canny way to sample something different, without committing to a whole 75cl bottle. And half-bottles are currently popular for online tastings (I can attest to this).

Just don’t expect a half bottle of wine to be 50 per cent cheaper. The costs of labour, bottling and the “dry goods” overall are pretty much the same whatever the size; Stephens-Clark estimates you’ll pay around 60-70 per cent of the price of a normal bottle. As well as her range, I heartily recommend Tanners’ extensive selection of halves. In supermarkets, you can find Louis Jadot’s deliciously juicy, strawberry-scented BeaujolaisVillages Combe Aux Jacques 2018, France (13.5%) in halves at Tesco (£4.75) and Morrisons (£5.75), and Waitrose has a sprightly own-label Italian pinot grigio 2019 (12%, £3.49).

LA GIUSTINIANA LUGARARA GAVI DI GAVI 2018

Piedmont, Italy (12.5%, thelittlefinewinecompany.co.uk, £9.95 for a half bottle)

I especially like the northern Italian wines on this website; here’s a refreshing gavi with lemon and juicier apricot, racy with crisp acidity and perfect with delicate white fish dishes or try it with new season asparagus.

TANNERS EXTRA RESERVE BRUT CHAMPAGNE NV

France (12%, tanners-wines. co.uk, £16.95 for a half bottle)

This own-label champagne from independent merchant Tanners is a star – it’s fresh and fruity but has some serious complexity, with lovely notes of almond, biscuit and toast. A half bottle makes a proper treat.

WAITROSE RIOJA POSADAS HISPANAS 2015/6

Spain (13.5%, £4.49 for a half bottle)

A ripe and rounded rioja, packed with plum and cherry fruit with a wood-spice hint from ageing for 12 months in American oak barrels. Match it with roast lamb or a chunk of full-flavoured cheese.