The interest in half bottles seems to be growing exponentially and we 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.

It also means that for half the price you can drink twice as good! Ok. Well, that's not quite right but it certainly sounds good.

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

Green apple and lime zest mix with preserved lemons on the zesty nose; the mouth is clean, crisp and refreshing, with a bit more juice and body, but finishes with a sensation of citrus and salt.

Domaine de la Grenaudière is located in the heart of the Muscadet appellation since 1723. Ideally located between the rivers Sèvre and Maine on granite soils, Domaine de la Grenaudière produces 100% Melon de Bourgogne wines. The long maturation on lees allows the creation of Muscadets that express the purest expression of the terroir. Mathilde Ollivier and Stéphane Cottenceau represent the 8th generation of winegrowers at the Domaine de la Grenaudière , taking over from Guy and Jean-Luc Ollivier. For 150 years, 4 generations have succeeded one another to get the best out of the Melon de Bourgogne (Melon B) grape variety, emblematic of Muscadet. At Domaine de la Grenaudière, the wines are aged on lees for between 6 and 60 months. We mature the wines in underground glass tanks. The very good thermal inertia of these underground vats allows for quality storage and maturation. This is the result of meticulous and well thought-out work from the vineyard to the vinification. Maturing on the lees gives the wines great stability and optimal maturation, giving them fatness and aromatic complexity.

A steely Eden Valley riesling with long-term ageing on its mind. Coiled tight and revealing just a glimpse of its potential at this early stage, one filled with aromas of Tahitian lime, lemon, lemongrass, fresh-cut cucumber and, above all, heady florals. Quieter on the palate with fine line of steely acidity running long in tandem with a slatey chalky mouthfeel. Give it time. JENI PORT, Halliday Wine Companion 

Pieropan remains one of the greatest estates in Soave and their entry level Soave is one of the best value whites in Italy. We have not wavered on this in many, many years. Soave, east of Verona: encircled by the original enclosures of the town and dominated by a 13th century fortress. At the heart of the Classico zone lies the Pieropan property, which dates back to 1890. The daily-drinking Soave Classico DOC is mostly Garganega with about 10-15% Trebbiano di Soave. The nose is wonderfully aromatic, the palate delicate and focused with excellent depth and impressive overall balance. I’ll say it again: one of the best value wines of Italy!

Lovely white nectarine and soft, white pepper spice with a touch of lemon rind and fresh cute citrus fruit. A supple and easy going palate that opens with fresh, crunchy fruits and sliced pear. There is a lovely core of fruit here that makes it so easy to love and with a lovely zesty finish it just keep you coming back for more. There is a reason why this is one of the most popular Italian white wines in the store - its just bloody delicious!

Barrel fermented and matured in 500L French puncheons (20% new) for 10 months. No mlf. A touch more concentrated than the 2021, this has scents of white nectarines, yellow apples and candied ginger. Vibrant and fresh on the palate, this youthful wine finishes saline and with good persistence. (94) PHILIP RICH, Halliday Wine Companion 

A classic of the Yarra Valley Yernig Station is knocking this one out of the park. Consistency is key here and while they always embrace the various vintage elements there is always a lovely concentration and richness to the wines that we love. Hard to go wrong with wines at this price either. Stellar value!

I cut my teeth on chenin blanc, McLaren Vale chenin at that, but the wines I was drinking in the late 1980s didn’t bear a great deal of resemblance to this majestic offering.

I’m a bit blown away. Instead of being the steak knives in the range this vies for top spot. It has flavour and texture but it’s the way brine and smoky, reductive characters play in with the fruit that really gets you in. This is a sophisticated white wine. It’s all river stones and nashi pear, apple and cedar, though it’s defined by its smoke/salt/stone characters. It’s also exceptionally poised, dry and tense, all of which suggest that it has a seriously good future ahead of it. (96) CAMPBELL MATTINSON, The Wine Front

Bright, light yellow hue with a nutty bouquet that reflects some barrel work, combined with creamy, waxy, pastry-like nuances. The wine is bright and intense in the mouth, restrained and quietly persuasive, with a bone-dry balance and refreshing qualities. There's a lot to like here. HUONE HOOKE, The Real Review

Maison Saint Aix Rosé is a premium, impeccably balanced wine from Provence, captivating from the first glance with its delicate salmon-pink hue. On the nose, it offers a fresh and fragrant bouquet, where vibrant red berries and juicy peaches intertwine with elegant floral notes, creating an inviting and refined aroma.

The first sip unveils a silky, rounded texture that gently envelops the palate, revealing layers of aromatic complexity. Bright fruit flavors shine through, complemented by a subtle richness that reflects the careful selection of the finest grapes. As the experience unfolds, a refreshing hint of minerality emerges on the finish, adding depth and contrast. Lingering gracefully, Maison Saint Aix Rosé leaves a lasting impression of elegance, precision, and the true artistry of Provence winemaking.

This mouthwatering crowd-pleaser is named after a grove of cherry trees that flank the vineyard. The fruit is drawn from 30- to 40-year-old Gamay vines, grown in dark granite soils around the Chermette homestead in Saint-Vérand, southern Beaujolais. In contrast to his age-worthy Crus from Moulin-à-Vent and Fleurie et al., Chermette aims to produce something light-to-medium-bodied, bright and cherry-fruited with reach-for-another-glass charm.

The winemaking has remained unchanged for decades, with traditional whole-bunch, semi-carbonic fermentation in concrete tanks followed by maturation in tank and old oak casks still the order of the day. The nose is so exuberant you could be tasting out of barrel, flush with easy-going, lip-smacking red fruit flecked by red floral notes. The palate tells the same story through waves of vibrant, tangy berries and cherrystone fruit. As always, it is a delicious, moreish wine and fabulous value.

About 50% whole bunches and 50% new French barriques. Bright crimson. A little more complex than the also very good 2022, which is on release too. Red fruits and rose petals together with a touch of reduction, which adds to the wine, giving it sapidity. Savoury and structured and with lots of energy. Needs time and food. An excellent showing. (95) PHILIP RICH, Halliday Wine Company

Sourced from four single vineyards in Geelong, two in the Moorabool Valley (Hillside Haven & Springbank) and two from the Bellarine (Hat Rock & Suma Park)

Each parcel was treated the same; wild yeast fermented with around 50% whole bunches. The wine was then matured for 10 months in 35% new French oak barriques. Malolactic conversion finished in spring with only minimal sulfur additions.

This is a Pinot that attracts first with its aroma of mushroom, and earth, enticing with some exotic dark cherry, wet leaves and a hint of jasmine. Following the scent, there is the anticipation of taste, and if you have chosen well, expect some flavours of dark cherry with undercurrents of earth and spice. Texture-wise, this Pinot has a smooth and silky mouthfeel. Flavour, body, and finish built to drink on release or age.

The 2021 Chianti Classico is fabulous. Bright and punchy, with terrific resonance, this wine shows just how compelling the vintage is. Readers will find a Chianti Classico of dynamic energy and volume. Dark red cherry, purplish fruit, lavender, rose petal, spice and a gentle kiss of French oak build into the sumptuous, vibrant finish. Superb. The 2021 was aged in 500-liter barrels (5-6% new) for 14 months and is a blend of fruit from Greve, Gaiole and Radda. ANTONIO  GALLONI, Vinous 

This has a fresh character with ripe cherries and raspberries as well as dried flowers, bark and stones. Polished and textural with a medium body and vivid acidity. Focused and fresh with chalky tannin structure and a linear finish with notes of citrus and minerals. From organically grown grapes. Drink or hold. JAMES SUCKLING 

A saturated purple/magenta hue, the 2021 Chianti Classico is lush and fresh with aromas of black raspberry, black cherry, violet, and fresh leather. Plush and inviting, with bright acidity along the sides of the palate shining through, it offers a velvety texture with a long finish. It’s polished but not oaky and has a very refined feel, with medium to full body and a long and balanced finish. Drink 2026-2040. JEB DUNNUCK

This red is precise, offering cherry, raspberry, rose, iron and tobacco flavors fused to a steely, dense and vibrant structure. Balanced and intense, building to a long aftertaste infused with fruit and mineral notes. Best from 2026 through 2045. BRUCE SANDERSON, Wine Spectator

A serious Cotes-du-Rhone. Full forest berry fruit with delicate spice, bitter chocolate and licorice notes. Impressive depth and some real structure on the full-bodied palate. I love the way the generous, rather fine tannins carry the long, spicy and fresh finish. A cuvee based on 60% grenache, mostly from the Vaucuse region, with about 30% syrah from the Gard and small amounts of mourvedre and other traditional grape varieties. JAMES SUCKLING 

One of our favourite rhone reds year-in and year-out. There may be nothing quite as satisfying as a good value Rhone red and this one always delivers. Delas Freres is based in the beautiful northern Rhone with a large holding of their own vineyards supplemented by long-term relationships with quality growers all over the rhone. How they manage to put so much goodness into a bottle at this price is an astonishing feat to say the least.

A meld of 51/28/21% grenache/shiraz/mataro from 40 to 150-year-old vines; 20 months maturation in large 4500L French oak foudre. Perfumed and fragrant with lifted blueberry, dark plum and punchy cranberry fruit characters with hints of frangipani, teacake, gingerbread, cherry clafoutis, Chinese barbecue shop, earth and blueberry pie. Bright with vivid acidity and powdery tannin, it cuts a super-spicy savoury line across the palate and represents the Torbreck style with much aplomb.  (94) DAVE BROOKES, Halliday Wine Companion - SPECIAL VALUE 

 I like the tannin tension to this with berry, dried meat and spice aromas and flavors. It’s medium-bodied with a firmness and brightness. Juicy finish. Nice texture at the end. Vivid. Grenache, shiraz and mataro. Drink or hold. (94) JAMES SUCKLING 

Deep purple-red colour with meaty/spicy aromas, a full bodied and concentrated shiraz, the palate nicely framed with abundant ripe and fleshy tannins. Long carry. Excellent wine; even better if cellared a couple more years. (95) HUON HOOKE, The Real Review

Complex shiraz with herb, meat, woodsmoke and mint characters rippling through cherry and plum fruit flavours. It's cool and composed but flavoursome, too, with clove notes running out ahead of it all and excellent length to the finish. It's not the heaviest of Heathcote reds and it doesn't need to be; it has a whole lot else going on besides. (95) CAMPBELL MATTINSON, Halliday Wine Companion 

This pack is full of classics and the Heathcote Estate is absolutely one of those. Made by the uber-talented Tom Carson of Yabby Lake fame, this, unsurprisingly, has a more lifted and refined feel while harnessing the power and richness of Heathcote's cambrian soils. Its a pretty sure bet every year and the 2021 looks to be a particularly good year for this bad-boy.