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GourmetGrrl Bites
GourmetGrrl.com: Food with 'tude
November 2, 2005
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Halvsies. This week it's all about Demi (as in French for “half,” not Moore). Half of everything is wholly surprising.

Cin Cin!
GourmetGrrl, aka Laura Holmes

Grrl with Corkscrew
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Less is More: Half-Bottles. Half-bottles of wine (375 ml) seem to be making a comeback, so before you think your date is just being cheap, read on.

In the States most of the half-bottle production goes right to restaurants although you can usually find a selection in a good wine shop. Bubbly is quite often bottled in half-bottles, called a split, as are dessert wines. You won’t find many French table wines in half-bottles; they produce very few due to retailer resistance. Pricing is where things aren't so even: production costs are higher for half-bottles so the prices tend to be a little more than half the price of the full, 750ml bottle.

And half-bottles aren’t just for the lesser wines; a half-bottle of Opus One anyone? Clos du Bois, J. Lohr, Qupe, Bonny Doon, and Niebaum-Coppola are a few California producers getting into the game, as are the Australians. (The Swanson Merlot and the Etude Pinot Noir are two little bottles we cherish.)

When should you go for the half?
*If you’re having a delicate fish soup and your friend is having a steak, you can each order your own bottle.
*If the by the glass selections just don’t cut it – tastewise or budgetwise.
*If it’s a schoolnight you can still drink up (and drink well) and not feel guilty.
*If one of you is abstaining. (Half-bottles contain 2 to 2 1/2 glasses of wine, depending on the pour.)

In California check out a good wine shop if you're shopping for half-bottles or try Cost Plus World Market; they stock a good variety. In New York City head straight for the half-bottle section at Astor Wines & Spirits and Union Square Wines.

The wine geek tip of the week: use half- bottles to preserve leftover wine. Just pour the wine into the 375ml bottle and cork it immediately and it will keep for up to a week. (A winemaker friend swears it's the best way to keep wine fresh.)

Shortcuts
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If you’ve picked up a cookbook by a chef you’ve seen the word demi-glace used with abandon. But what in God’s name is it? Demi-glace [DEM-ee glahs] is an intense brown reduction of meat stock and vegetables with a little Madeira or sherry thrown in. It's used as a base for many other sauces – and that’s the secret. Whisk in a little demi-glace to an ordinary gravy or pan juices and you'll have a fancy sauce in no time at all.

You can make your own (just set aside 30 hours or so) or buy it ready made in gourmet stores; Williams-Sonoma sells four varieties at $29 a pop, and Demi-Glace Gold is delish - it doesn’t have any scary chemicals and costs about $5 for 1.5 ounces.

Grrl on a Barstool
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If you're going double-dutch, you might as well drink in halves. Here are two spots in New York to check out when you want to split (or a split).

Half Wine Bar Lounge
626 Vanderbilt Ave. (between Prospect and Park Pls.)
718.783.4100
Open 7 days
This wine list shines the spotlight on half- bottles, and you can chow down while you're sipping: the menu includes cheese, charcuterie, panini, and sweets.

Bar Demi
125 1/2 E. 17th St. (between Irving Pl. and Third Ave.)
212.260.0900
Open Tuesday - Saturday
Nibbles available and a kick-ass list of half- bottles.

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