Split of Champagne

People often misuse this term. A split is actually a QUARTER bottle (187 ml), enough for 2 quite small glasses. Lots of people use the term for a 375 (half-bottle). I would always assume that split on a menu means a 187.

I have on occasion bought splits for occasions when I wanted to lift a glass with my wife in celebration, but driving or some other reason made any inebriation totally undesirable (like being at 11,000 ft on a trailtop!). But be warned, Champagne is highly damagable, and the smaller volume makes heat damage more likely.

Dale

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Dale

Any relation to the "mignonette" (200 ml) ? Interesting, I had never heard of the term "split". I will put it in my glossary...

Mike

I've certainly seen split (and appropriately, I believed) used to refer to a half bottle with Champagne. Piccolo, on the other hand, seems to unambiguously refer to a quarter bottle of Champagne. Would it be the case that "split" should never be used for half bottles?

Along similar lines, fillette is occasionally used for half bottles of bordeaux. Perhaps the non-ambiguity of piccolo and fillette should drive the use of these particular words four quarter and half bottles, respectively.

I would never use it for a half, but as I said, many do. But all of these sites seem to agree a split is 187 ml:

Be well,

Dale

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"Mike Tommasi" a écrit dans le message de news: snipped-for-privacy@4ax.com...

Hello Mike and Dale,

In fact tehre are two sizes of *Quart* plaese, have a look there :

But because the wine is not fermented in these smallest *quarts*, always it is transfered ( in french we say *transvaser* ) bubbly wine from bottles, the quality is rarely great. It's just a funny size. It's better to drink an 1/2 half-bottle than a transfered wine in a *quart*. Because in the half-botlle, the bubbles necessary ( this is the law) come from the fermentation in this half-bottle. There no oxidation, as it's when you necessary transfer sparkling wine from the bottle to the *quart*.

Yes, it's better to drink a half half-bottle or a quater of a bottle of a great cuvée or better vintage... than a small gas cylinder... sorry ... a small quart. IMHO.

Best sprakling wishes,

Francis

Wow- you learn something new every day on this ng.

I always thought a split was a common reference to a .375! Now I know better.

BTW- as to half and split bottles of champagne- I say avoid, avoid, avoid. For whatever reason I find they seldom are as they should be. Not a good risk IMHO, especially since mL for mL they are often far more expensive than full bottles.

Tom.

Some are not that bad; Pommery has a box with four 187s (along with four colored straws!) called Pop and the Champagne in them tastes quite like their normal NV Brut. If you ignore the marketing pizzazz around it and don't use the straws it is nice and the four quarter bottles are priced just about 1/4 the price of the 750. The also have a rather wild website for it:

pavane

Richard,

"fillette" is a new one on me, too. Meaning "little girl" I suppose (although my 5 year old girl could never make it through a half bottle!). :) Where is this common usage? I've never heard it here in France, which is not to say that it's not common in the bordelais...

-E

Thank you for that explanation, Francis. It's a pleasure to get the "inside information" from you.

Mark Lipton

The pommery pop is quite an interesting, but none-the-less a novelty item, marketed at the trendy bars full of luvvies who have to be seen with their piccolo of champagne drinking it from a straw. At the risk of starting another thread, they are stoppered with a screwcap, to keep their fizz. Piper Heidsick have had them for about 15 years as i recall, it is only recently that other have jumped on the bandwagon.

True but the trendy pop bottle still holds a decent tasting glassful of true Champagne, fresh (quite fresh, in fact, since they are so pop-ular) and pretty tasty; far better than most "Champagne by the glass" offerings that have been sitting around the bar for a day or so.

pavane

"grazz" wrote in news:ben6i7$lrn$ snipped-for-privacy@sparta.btinternet.com:

But - I bet it's better than white zin! :)) dei

It is a very good bubbly and perfect for those afternoon pick-me-ups on the go! They sell for around $9 a pop around here (Colorado Springs, CO USA).

Pardon my ignorance, what's trailtop?

M.

A compound word, Michael, just like it sounds.

trailtop = top of a trail, usually at a hill top

-E

Thank you. This altitude - at least in Europe - normally would mean a mountain summit, so a split would be just fine. After all one has to get down again safely, too...

M.

As you and Emery surmised, that was my point. The example I thought of involved a mountain near Estes Park Colorado, more than a sip would have been hazardous for the descent. And heavier on way up :)

Welcome back, Michael

Dale

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