Craving Champagne but Don’t Want to Open a Full Bottle? Try These Demis and Splits
Call it a night and pick up one of the high-scoring half bottles or splits of Champagne now. [...] Read More... The post Craving Champagne but Don’t Want to Open a Full Bottle? Try These Demis and Splits appeared first on Wine Enthusiast.
Champagne is always a good idea. But what happens when you know you can’t finish a bottle?
Sure, you can try to preserve it with a stopper. Or, you can call it a night and pick up one of the high-scoring half bottles or splits from the list below.
Half bottles, also known as demis (i.e. half in French) or fillete (little girl), holds 375 mls, the equivalent of about three standard glasses of Champagne. A split—which is harder to find in quality bottlings—rings in at half the size of a demi, just over 187 mls, essentially one large glass.
“The way I look at it, you should be treating Champagne like any other wine you buy for daily consumption, if that’s what you want to do and can afford it,” says Wine Enthusiast Tasting Director and Champagne Reviewer Anna-Christina Cabrales. “Half bottles and splits make it easier—you don’t have to worry about chugging through an entire bottle.”
So, whether you’re looking for something small to share as a date night aperitif or just want to pop open a glass for a solo evening of “couch caviar,” the high-scoring bottles below are sure to please.
Split
Moët & Chandon NV Rosé Impérial Brut (Champagne)
Red fruit and citrus aromas come through strongly on this ripe, full Champagne. It has a touch of structure as well as red fruits and lime flavors. Drink now. 90 Points — Roger Voss $20 Applejack Wine & Spirits
Half Bottles
Krug NV Grande Cuvée 172ème Edition Brut (Champagne)
This is most recent bottling of this iconic Champagne. There is a touch of toast as well as enticing apple and citrus aromas. On the palate, this wine is rich, intense, poised between maturity and ripe white fruits. It is a beautifully balanced wine, ready to drink. 98 Points — R.V. $90 Rye Brook Wine & Spirits
Louis Roederer NV Collection 245 (Champagne)
This is the 245th blend of Roederer’s non-vintage Champagne. It is a fine wine, highlighting the blend of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, bringing in reserve wines to give richness and balance. It is fresh, beginning to show signs of maturity, with an apple aroma and a ripe palate. Drink now. 94 Points — R.V. $36 Grand Vin Wine Merchants
Charles Heidsieck NV Brut Réserve (Champagne)
A vibrant Champagne with a white fruit aroma offers a touch of maturity and richness that is typical of the Charles Heidsieck style. Red apples, citrus and toast give the wine a fine balance. 92 Points — R.V. $35 Wine.com
Legras & Haas NV Intuition Brut (Champagne)
With a major proportion of Chardonnay in the blend, this Champagne from the Côte des Blancs shows the proper minerality and taut, young texture. With its bright apple aroma and citrus flavor, the bottling needs to age. Drink from 2025. 90 Points — R.V. $43 Saratoga Wine
