# What is "half 'n half" - wine concoction? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** wine\ **Created:** [November 17, 2007, 5:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-half-n-half-wine-concoction/426811 "2007-11-17T05:32:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Gary\_T](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Gary\_T](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_T)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2007, 5:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-half-n-half-wine-concoction/426811/1 "2007-11-17T05:32:00Z")
In Stick McGhee’s song “Drinkin’ Wine Spo-De-O-Dee,” the chorus (see below) refers to “half 'n half.” I once stumbled across a site that explained what that is - wine mixed with some other particular booze, as I recall - but can’t find it now, and don’t remember the details. It might be associated with New Orleans. Anyone know just what half 'n half is? Wine, wine, wine (Elderberry!) Wine, wine, wine (Or Sherry!) Wine, wine, wine (Blackberry!) Wine, wine, wine (Half 'n half!) Wine, wine, wine (Oh Boy!) Pass that bottle to me ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_T](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Gary\_T](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_T)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2007, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-half-n-half-wine-concoction/426811/2 "2007-11-18T21:03:08Z")
Bump. What, we ain’t got no N’awlins winos on board? 🙂 To elaborate and clarify, precisely what is mixed with the wine, and is the wine itself of a particular type? ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_T](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Gary\_T](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_T)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2011, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-half-n-half-wine-concoction/426811/3 "2011-11-18T22:26:01Z")
I’m bumping my own thread from four years ago – hope springs eternal. 🙂 I was trying to research this on the web today, was about to give up and post it to the Dope, when this thread came up on Google and reminded me that I already had! Hoping for better results this time around. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Drunky\_Smurf](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drunky_smurf/32/449_2.png) [@Drunky\_Smurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drunky_Smurf)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2011, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-half-n-half-wine-concoction/426811/4 "2011-11-18T22:42:45Z")
I typed in google, wine half and half, and the first link was to wikipedia and it says in Belgium in some cafes it is white wine and champagne. Don’t know if that was what you had heard of but it sounds tasty to me. ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_T](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Gary\_T](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_T)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2011, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-half-n-half-wine-concoction/426811/5 "2011-11-18T22:47:15Z")
Thanks for the reply. I doubt it was champagne in this case. My recollection is that it’s something that would noticeably boost the alcohol content, and I suspect it would be on the cheap side, not as “fancy” as champagne. ---
**Author:** ![sitchensis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sitchensis/32/4892_2.png) [@sitchensis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sitchensis)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2011, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-half-n-half-wine-concoction/426811/6 "2011-11-18T23:00:50Z")
Doesn’t answer your question, but in high school we used to call the fruit and liquor concoction (Jungle Juice?) we would make for parties “Spodee”. You may have just opened my eyes to the origin of that. ---
**Author:** ![sitchensis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sitchensis/32/4892_2.png) [@sitchensis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sitchensis)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2011, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-half-n-half-wine-concoction/426811/7 "2011-11-18T23:04:56Z")
From [wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sherry) “The Sherry is fortified using destilado, made by distilling wine, usually from La Mancha. The distilled spirit is first mixed with mature Sherry to make a 50/50 blend known as mitad y mitad (half and half), and then the mitad y mitad is mixed with the younger Sherry to the proper proportions. This two-stage procedure is performed so the strong alcohol will not shock the young Sherry and spoil it.” ---
**Author:** ![sitchensis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sitchensis/32/4892_2.png) [@sitchensis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sitchensis)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2011, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-half-n-half-wine-concoction/426811/8 "2011-11-18T23:18:30Z")
ETA: I got that from a shot in the dark Google search [half fortified wine “half and half”]. I have no idea if it’s the right answer. Blind squirrel and a nut ---
**Author:** ![zombywoof](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/9e8a1a/32.png) [@zombywoof](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zombywoof)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2011, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-half-n-half-wine-concoction/426811/9 "2011-11-19T01:37:32Z")
IDK but FWIW I’d suggest asking at the Weenie Campbell forums. ---
**Author:** ![Greg\_Charles](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/839c29/32.png) [@Greg\_Charles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Greg_Charles)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2011, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-half-n-half-wine-concoction/426811/10 "2011-11-19T15:03:31Z")
I don’t know about half-and-half, but Jack Kerouac describes wine spodiodi in _On The Road_: Dean and I had ended up with a colored guy named Walter who ordered drinks at the bar and had them lined up and said, “Wine-spodiodi!” which was a shot of port wine, a shot of whisky, and a shot of port wine. “Nice sweet jacket for all that bad whisky!” he yelled.