We love a good half bottle, and we know you do. We are regularly surprised when we go to check on the half-bottle section in the store, only to find it has been pilfered. Not a bad problem to have, but not always the easiest to keep stocked, but we love a challenge. There is no doubt that the interest in half bottles seems to be growing exponentially, and for so many reasons. We totally get it. These little grenades of goodness can be the perfect solution to your many and varied drinking needs. 

Half bottles are the perfect mid-week wedge for those looking for something a little specy but maybe not willing to dive into their cellar best. Or, they make the perfect roady, you can sneak them into the footy (we do not advise or suggest doing this of course), and they are perfect for that next sunny day, pop down to the park with friends and need a cheeky drink or they are perfect for when you just need a little after dinner tipple but don't want to go overboard.

This year's pack proved a little more challenging than other years, but we have put together a pretty smart selection, we think. One of the best things here is the fact that pretty much all of the producers that make wines in half bottles are icons and benchmarks in their respective regions. That means you are getting the tippy-top of the tier... just a little smaller than usual.

Ultimately, though this pack is just about great drinking, so whatever your reason to cut your wine in half, this pack has a little bit of everything for everyone.

SPECIAL VALUE A stupendous riesling of immense regional character and yet flair, personality and precision as calling cards. Pretty lavender and chamomile floral lift, sleek and racy lime juice characters spiked with lemongrass, gingery spice, pepper and some wet slate minerality with accompanying textural grip. Finesse personified with energy to burn. Vivid, scintillating riesling. (96) MIKE BENNIE, Halliday Wine Companion

Florita, I think, often has this purity about it. How’s the purity?

Lemon, lime, lemongrass, lavender perfume. It’s bright, and pure, essence of Clare Riesling with enough flavour to carry it, though not too much, and the acidity feel particularly fine and well-settled, and there’s this quiet stony grip, with a bright finish of very good length, a light gin and tonic with a twist of citrus carrying in the aftertaste. Excellent. (95) GARY WALSH, The Wine Front

Pale, water-white colour, very restrained nose, some lime pith aromas, the palate piercingly fresh and crisp with driving acidity and a long, energetic finish. Lip-smacking lemony flavours. This is backward, high-tensile and promises to take some age well. Superb riesling. (95) HUON HOOKE, The Real Review

Another one of what can we add here? Nothing. These guys are stars of the Clare and with the next generation well and truly at the helm, things have only gotten better. This single-site beauty is a ripper in 2024, so dig in.

SPECIAL VALUE Made exclusively from hand-picked fruit sourced across the valley, this wine offers incredible value with its pure, lemony fruit, palate breadth, freshness and length. Ever-dependable and deeply satisfying, it stands out as one of the region's best buys. Gorgeous in its youth, with lime blossom and green apple notes, it will reward careful cellaring, unveiling toast and flint characters over time. (96) TONI PATTERSON, Halliday Wine Companion

I really like the 2024 vintage for Hunter Semillon. A fair pop of flavour, though they also have a bit more grip than is usual (or at least many do).

Juicy, white nectarine, lemongrass, a bit of spice, lime rind. Bright, fruity, sherbetty, a fair bit of flavour here, citrus and green apple, with a light floral finish of excellent length. Delicious. Very much an each way bet for drinking or cellaring, though it’s kind of hard to resist as a young wine. GARY WALSH, The Wine Front

Based in the Valledolmo region of central western Sicily, it’s no wonder the estate is referred to as the ‘Island of Montoni’, with its patch of lush green vineyards amongst a vast expanse of yellow durum.The estate at Feudo Montoni has a long history. The original square court building, or ‘baglio’, was built in the 15th century and was used as the main village to manage the land during this time. It is a beautiful ode to the past. The vineyards can be traced back to that time as well, with Rosario Sireci discovering the ancient vines in the late 1800s when he purchased Feudo Montoni. 

The vineyards sit at high altitudes, ranging between 500 metres and 700 metres in elevation, east facing, with the white varieties being planted on the higher sites and on quite intense slopes. Fabio explains that the area is almost always windy, which means they have minimal issues with humidity or frost. The growing season is also welcomed by cool nights, with a large diurnal shift from the intensity of the Sicilian daytime heat. The resulting wines have a level of intensity and purity that is not often seen in this part of Italy. 

Timpa means strong slope in the local Sicilian dialect, reflecting the extreme incline that the Grillo vineyard has been planted on.The Grillo is made in much the same way as the Catarratto, yet with greater levels of sand in the vineyard it showcases a more floral, pretty perfume, with stone fruit and almonds balanced out by the fresh acidity. 

Red Claw is the spirited, approachable label from Yabby Lake Vineyard, designed to capture the vibrancy and charm of Mornington Peninsula fruit in everyday drinking wines. While the flagship Yabby Lake range often sits in the premium tier, Red Claw delivers bright, varietally honest expressions with the region’s hallmark freshness and poise — wines that are equally at home on the table or out on the deck. Think purity of fruit, lively acidity and effortless drinkability, all driven by cool-climate Mornington character.

Pale copper in the glass, this gris greets the nose with a lively bouquet of watermelon rind, pink grapefruit, wild strawberries and a hint of fresh herbs. The palate is bright and energetic, with crunchy red fruit and citrus lift, threaded with a clean mineral streak and skin-contact savoury nuance. Seamless acidity carries through to a dry, refreshing finish that strikes the perfect balance between textural complexity and thirst-quenching drive.

A great range, nothing herbal or green – starting with a certain austerity in the first wines – no bad thing – and then delicious wine after delicious wine – properly complex and pure. An address to search out! 

Also, only from Maligny here. Not all of this is bottled so far – but the rest are all bottled. A more zesty nose – there’s even some textural energy here. Cooler, wider, fresher – that’s really a lovely wine. Slowly fading – also a beautiful flavour I like this very much…  Bill Nanson, Burgundy Report,

Located in the north-west sector of Chablis in the village of Maligny, Pierrick Laroche now runs this family estate which was established by his father in the 1970s. His father gradually gained planting rights and slowly added to the family vineyard holdings over time. Today the current size of the estate is around 33 hectares. In 2010, Pierrick produced his first vintage to great acclaim (his father had previously sold the grapes to La Chablisienne).

Pierrick has a degree in oenology from Beaune and after graduating, he travelled the world, doing various internships to gain experience before returning home to start making wine and take over the family vineyards for himself.

As with the Petit Chablis, the domain has nearly 12ha planted in the Chablis classification, all of it (like the Petit) planted in the Maligny commune except for 1ha in the little valley of Fontenay heading toward the Grand Crus. He has eight parcels of Chablis, and the average age of the vines is 30 years.

La Vieille Ferme is one of the Rhône Valley’s most reliable and best-loved everyday wines. Produced by the Perrin family (of Château de Beaucastel fame), they source from vineyards in the Ventoux and Luberon regions. Made with a focus on drinkability and honest expression of southern French terroir, it’s a benchmark for value and consistency. Incredibly well priced for the money.

A perennial warm-weather favourite, this delivers exactly what you want from a southern French rosé. Pale salmon in the glass, it opens with bright aromas of wild strawberry, redcurrant and white peach, edged with a hint of citrus zest and dried herbs.

The palate is fresh and lively, with crunchy red berries and a gentle savoury twist that keeps things dry and moreish. There’s a soft, rounded texture through the mid-palate, but a clean line of acidity carries it to a crisp, refreshing finish.

Uncomplicated in the best possible way — vibrant, thirst-slaking and made for long lunches, warm afternoons and easy company.

Deep ruby with aromas of crunchy red cherry, plum and raspberry fruits. Hints of crushed rock, mountain herbs, undergrowth, dried meats, cocoa nibs, wild strawberry and earth. There's a slightly wild edge to this wine that I like. It's rocky and sinewy, showing abundant mineral energy before resolving savoury and stony. Lovely. DAVE BROOKES, Halliday Wine Companion 

Beautiful Isle Wines is a small, quality-focused producer based in Tasmania, dedicated to crafting expressive, cool-climate wines that reflect the island’s pristine conditions. With a focus on purity, precision and site expression, the range highlights Tasmania’s natural strengths — bright acidity, fine structure and aromatic clarity. These are thoughtful, well-made wines that capture the freshness and quiet intensity that make Tassie such an exciting place to drink from right now.

I'll say it again, this estate is producing some of the most incredible and singular wines in the world. JEB DUNNUCK 

The 2022 Côtes-du-Rhône is delicious as it launches with juicy black fruits, licorice and fleshy aromas. Touching the medium to full-bodied palate with heightened flavor concentration neatly lifted by balancing acidity, the smoothly-structured 2022 doubles down with plenty of savoriness on the well-composed finish. This offers plenty of bang for the buck. NICOLAS GREINACHER, Vinous

Death, taxes, and delicious Cotes du Rhone from Guigal. That's the list of surest things in the world. Guigal is the star of the Rhone, and this is one of the reasons why. He produces mountains of this wine, and it always delivers. He pays his contractors top dollar, and what he gets is top-quality grapes. Pretty easy recipe but one that can't be beat. 

SPECIAL VALUE Shiraz sourced from the Wark Family vineyard in Stone Well. A solid release this! Rich blackberry and plum compote fruit tones with an array of dark spice, those fancy after dinner chocolate/orange thingys that your parents wheeled out at dinner parties, espresso, sweet-smelling oak and earth. There's a lot packed in here, pure cassis fruits, fine, dusty tannins and the undeniable fact that you are drinking a delicious Barossa shiraz. (93) DAVE BROOKES, Halliday Wine Companion 

Teusner Wines was founded in 2001 by Kym Teusner and Mick Page with a simple goal: to preserve and showcase the old-vine treasures of the Barossa Valley. Working closely with growers — many of whom farm vineyards planted generations ago — Teusner has built a reputation for richly flavoured yet beautifully balanced wines that capture the heart and soul of the region.

Best known for their characterful Grenache, Mataro and Shiraz bottlings, the wines deliver Barossa depth and generosity without excess weight. There’s plush dark fruit, spice and velvety tannin, but always with freshness and drinkability at the core. Honest, expressive and consistently over-delivering for the price, Teusner remains one of the Barossa’s most reliable and satisfying producers.

The warmest growing season since 2007, say Moss Wood. Well, 2007 produced some very good wines, and I’ve found a lot or 2024 reds to be pretty fleshy, but interesting all the same. Median harvest date was 28th February. This is 72% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Merlot, 8% Malbec, 9% Petit Verdot. No new oak.

It’s a bold and fruit forward wine offering blackberry, raspberry, dark chocolate, liquorice and a dried flower perfume. It’s fleshy and juicy in black fruit, mocha richness, a grainy grip to tannin, acidity is balanced, maybe has some orange nip to it, and finishes earthy, with a slight chicory bitterness, closes quite firm with good length. It’s kind of robust and rugged, but has plenty to sink your teeth into all the same. GARY WALSH, The Wine Front

Deep dark purple-red; intense, essency cassis, dark plum, violets and toasty oak on the nose, the palate succulent and fruit-sweet, with almost lush presence and a touch of graphitey tannin on the finish. Full bodied, rich and ripe—an almost opulent wine. A little more time will soften it further. HUON HOOKE, The Real Review

Moss Wood is one of Margaret River’s founding estates and a benchmark for classic, age-worthy wines. While the flagship Cabernet Sauvignon rightly commands attention, Amy’s is the more approachable sibling that delivers the house’s hallmark structure and detail in a more immediate, drink-now style. It’s medium-bodied, finely balanced and layered with cassis, plum and subtle oak spice, offering impressive depth and polish for the price — a smart, reliable expression of Margaret River pedigree.

Pure fruit on the nose, with rose hips, cherries, blueberries, lemon leaves and dried flowers. Medium-bodied with tangy acidity and firm tannins. Vibrant and elegant, with such purity of fruit. From organically grown grapes. Vegan. Drink or hold. (93) JAMES SUCKLING

The 2020 Chianti Classico is bright, fresh and nicely lifted, with terrific precision and energy lending quite a bit of character. Bright red Sangiovese fruit, spice and a touch of blood orange are front and center. Even so, the 2020 appears to still be recovering from its bottling. That should not be an issue in another 6-12 months' time. This is the first vintage that includes fruit from parcel in Greve's Lamole district. ANTONIO GALLONI, Vinous 

Querciabella stands as one of Tuscany’s leading estates, renowned for its uncompromising commitment to quality and sustainability. With vineyards in Chianti Classico and along the Tuscan coast, the estate has long championed organic and biodynamic farming, crafting wines that marry precision with purity. Their Sangiovese-led bottlings are particularly compelling — finely structured, vibrant and layered with dark cherry, dried herbs and savoury earth, all framed by polished tannins and bright acidity. Elegant yet powerful, Querciabella’s wines are benchmarks for modern, site-driven Tuscany. 

The modern-inspired 2020 La Montesa is a blend of 90% Garnacha and 10% other red varieties sourced from Monte Yerga in Alfaro, Rioja Oriental. Aged for 12 months in French oak barrels, this infusion-like wine boasts a purple-red color. Its enticing, earthy-reductive nose presents notes of blood and sour cherry, intertwined with herbal and grapefruit undertones. The palate is precise and exhilarating, with a lean and taut profile that vibrates with a juicy, chalky mouthfeel, all balanced on a refreshing core—an alluring, flavorful red.. (94) JOAQUIN HIDALGOI, Vinous

They are going for lower yields and less bottles of the 2020 La Montesa and slowly putting prices up, as they feel the wine is more serious than what the perception of the affordable price makes it. 2020 is a powerful vintage; it's structured and textured, the oak is very nicely integrated (12 months in barrel, but the powerful wine absorbed it completely), and it's powerful with 14% alcohol and a pH of 3.55, a little darker than in previous years. The tannins are very fine with a subtle chalky texture. There were 2,319 barrels that resulted in 672,000 bottles, 10,000 magnums and some larger and smaller formats. It was bottled from April 2022.(94)LUIS GUTIERREZ, The Wine Advocate 

La Montesa is the Palacios' name for the shovel-nosed hill-slope above the town of Alfaro from which their main wines are selected. Three passes yield the Viura blanco, the joven tinto 'La Vendimia' and its big sister 'La Montesa' which is aged in older French oak. It's just a little 'more' than La Vendimia...more savoury, more mineral, more structured, yet still extremely gentle and open-weave. It's all things to all people - affordable to quaff, stylish enough for a dinner party.

The wine is aged a year in new to 4 year-old barriques. These are extremely clean, with all wood in Palacios Remondo’s bodega washed in hot water, rinsed in cold, then re-washed with jets of ozone.