Winemaking has gotten complicated with all the techniques and equipment flying around. As someone with extensive winemaking experience, I learned everything there is to know about crafting wine. Today, I will share it all with you.

What Is a 375ml Wine Bottle Called? (And Why I Love Them)

You know those smaller wine bottles that look like they belong in a hotel minibar? They are 375ml bottles, and they have become my secret weapon for wine enjoyment. Let me explain.

The Names for These Little Guys

The most common name is half bottle because it is exactly half of a standard 750ml bottle. Simple math, simple name.

In Champagne country, they call them splits. This term caught on in the sparkling wine world generally. When you order a split of bubbly at a fancy restaurant, this is what they bring you.

Sometimes you hear demi or demi-bottle, which is French for half. Same thing, fancier sounding.

Confusingly, some liquor stores call 375ml bottles pints even though a real pint is 473ml. This is an American thing that I still do not fully understand.

Why I Buy Half Bottles Now

Here is my situation: my wife and I enjoy wine, but we do not always want to commit to a full bottle on a Tuesday night. A half bottle gives us two generous glasses each without leftovers that I know I will forget about until they turn to vinegar.

They also let me try more wines. Instead of buying one expensive bottle, I can buy two half bottles of different wines for roughly the same money. Last month I compared a Burgundy and an Oregon Pinot side by side this way.

For cooking, half bottles are perfect. I rarely need a full bottle of wine for a recipe, and the leftover cooking wine always gets forgotten. A 375ml bottle is usually just right.

Where to Find Them

Most wine shops have a section for half bottles, though it is usually small and easy to miss. I have found good selections at wine-focused stores rather than general liquor stores.

Champagne and sparkling wine are the easiest to find in half bottles. Producers know people often want bubbly for celebrations without committing to a full bottle.

Sweet dessert wines often come in 375ml bottles by default. This makes sense – dessert wine is rich and you drink less of it. A full bottle of Sauternes would last my house for months.

The Price Gotcha

Here is the thing nobody tells you: half bottles rarely cost half the price of a full bottle. A wine that runs thirty dollars for 750ml might cost eighteen or twenty dollars in 375ml format.

The reason is packaging costs. The bottle, cork, label, and shipping cost almost the same regardless of size. You pay a premium for the smaller portion.

I still think it is worth it for the flexibility, but just know that you are paying more per ounce.

Which Wines Work Best in Half Bottles

Wines meant to be drunk young are ideal. Most whites, lighter reds, and sparkling wines fall into this category.

I am more cautious with age-worthy reds in small format. The wine evolves differently in a smaller bottle – more contact with oxygen relative to the wine volume. A half bottle of Barolo might not age as gracefully as a full one.

That said, I have had some lovely aged half bottles. Just know that they develop faster.

My Half Bottle Strategy

I keep a few half bottles of Champagne around for impromptu celebrations. Promotion at work? Half bottle of bubbly. Friend coming over unexpectedly? Half bottle.

For weeknight dinners, I pick up half bottles of whatever pairs with what I am cooking that week. It keeps things interesting without the commitment.

When I want to try an expensive wine without the expense, half bottles let me sample. I can try that forty dollar Burgundy producer for twenty-two bucks and see if I want to invest in full bottles.

Honestly, half bottles have made me enjoy wine more. Less pressure, more variety, fewer half-finished bottles gathering dust on my counter.