Not only is it one per trip regardless of how long the trip... they've downsized the plastic wine bottles to 'wine minis.' If you want to maximize your 'only one' slim pickin's try the Corona Beer with a lime wedge... that is... if you still can.
Tried to google some data on the updated wine amount in the new little plastic bottles without success... I had experienced several previous trips with the new 'contemporary service' and thought they had went from 6 to 5 oz but not totally sure. Anyway... for wine... it's not much. Fortunately, and as you may know, when traveling in a private room you can bring your own stock.
When Amtrak started the contemporary meal program it was actually pretty nice… came in a balsa wood box which was handed to you in a reusable cloth shopping bag. The charcuterie plate plate was of impressive quality with a dessert of sea salt caramel; there was also a buffet style area which included extra rolls, desserts, condiments, and drinks. The complementary alcoholic drink included the larger 375 ml wine bottles. In addition to all this, each passenger received an overnight kit with toothbrush, soaps, etc. Soon thereafter the meal downgrades kicked in to where many of us have become offended. I enjoyed the initial meal offerings on two trips taken on the Lakeshore Limited.
I DO agree... nothing can replace the 'proper' way of dining on the train... a la carte is always best! That charcuterie plate was good quality and I was making the best of it. Now gone! And what Amtrak is serving now is awful!
American Airlines introduced a decent brand-name charcuterie plate (pre-order only) last year for shorter flights in FC. Probably gone for good now.
The size of the free bottle of wine served in flexible dining has always been 180 ml. A "half bottle" is 375 ml. (A whole bottler is 750 ml.) These are standard alcoholic beverage sizes regulated by the Federal government, and I don't think wine is sold in anything smaller. They do have little 50 ml bottles of spirits that are referred to as "miniatures, which are a single serving and is what you get in the cafe car when you order spirits or a mixed drink. (Which, in my experience, you have to mix yourself.)
I remember hearing complains about the cold meals. So Amtrak tried to fix that with the microwaved hot entrees we have today.... Go figure. You can't please everybody.
When contemporary dining was first introduced, sleeper passengers were given the option of ordering a half bottle of wine for their free drink (and I did several times). Although the smaller size is offered with flexible dining, half bottles are being sold. The LSA in the sleeper lounge on the Silver Meteor was not selling the half bottles, but they were being sold in the cafe car.
I am guessing that the LSA in the sleeper lounge was not "selling" anything, thus did not have access to a credit card machine.... or it could have been that this LSA did not want to be bothered.... or he was sold out. This experience was on a fairly recent trip (December 2019), however I seem to recall that LSA were selling second drinks to sleeper passengers earlier in 2019 or in 2018. I usually purchase a half bottle from the cafe car since the small bottle is not "enough" for me. I only tried to purchase in the sleeper lounge once and it was not available, so I walked one car and bought the half bottle from the cafe car.
The LSA was heating up and distributing meals and distributing the free beverages.
In that particular instance, I do not know. I do not know why that LSA could not sell me a half botttle. Maybe he did not have any more half bottles, but could have sold me a mini bottle, beer, scotch, etc.
