Half bottles at restaurants

[Beachfan]

I love wine in halves. Any restaurants out there with particularly good selections?

[Suzanne F]

In NYC, there's Bar Demi, connected to Verbena. Others here can speak with more authority about it, but they specialize in halves. And the food comes from the Verbena kitchen.

[Rail Paul]

Triomphe on 44th street also has a good selection of half bottles in its mostly French list.

[dlc]

I think that Babbo and Italian Wine Merchants both do Quattro's (small decanters) from large format bottles. I thin that this is a great idea if it is not kept open overlong.

[Beachfan]

Yeah, I'm a big fan of the quatos. But half bottles allow you to drink top drawer wine, the quartos tend to be more "drinkers"

[Tonyfinch]

Hate half bottles. They always look so much smaller than half a full bottle. But they always cost more.

[GordonCooks]

I recall Veritas having a very respectable selection of halves (including Chateau Lafite and Chateau Latour). I like the half-bottle myself, I dine mostly with my girlfriend and can have 2-3 different wines with a meal this way.

[mogsob]

Paris far ahead of NYC in its offering of half bottles. Most restaurants offer a pretty good selection there.

[cabrales]

Beachfan -- I don't know much about wine/prices, but the Gary Danko indicative list had a number of half-bottles, including Opus One 1999 (too young, even though 1/2 age more quickly in general?):

http://www.garydanko.com/site/wine/half_bottles.html

Your advice on the Danko winelist (bottles and half-bottles) would be appreciated.

In France, while I have yet to visit Jacques Thorel's restaurant in Brittany, its wine list has nice 1/2 (and is very strong overall):

http://www.jacques-thorel.com/anglais/aube...berge/cadre.htm

(click on the "stamp" labelled "The Cellar" and then look at the very bottom of the right hand side of the displayed area)

Edited January 15, 2003 by cabrales (log)

[Beachfan]

This is the type of wine list that makes BYOers so happy they are. Basically, it's triple retail. I'm sure Gary needs the money to support such a list, but I"d prefer a smaller seclection that's more affordable.

None the less, you are right, it's a great half bottle selection.

The Tokay Pinot Gris's all seem delicious. I haven't had it but the Kuentz Bas Pinot Blanc might be my affordable selection, or the King Estate Pinot Gris.

I don't know burgs, but if your inclined, you could research the Lignier 99 Morey St. Denis (or the Comte de Vogue or Dujac grand crus, for a real splurge).

The 99 Domaine Pallieres Gigondas is delicious. While $32 for a half is very pricey for this wine, it's probably the best low price red wine pick.

Chehalem is my favorite Oregon Pinot Noir producer, and while I haven't had the 2000 Rion Reserve, I would think it would be very tasty if you like new world pinots.

The Montelena 1996 is a nice splurge.

I have problems accessing the full bottle list other than French Reds. Great trophies if you have the money. Nothing that seemed reasonably priced to me (but then again, I"m not building a cellar for the internet tycoons).

When are you going?