Mystery bottles

[Tri2Cook]

I found two bottles of white wine in a cabinet at a friends house. I was helping her with some repair work and there they were. All she knows about them is that they were given to the guests at one of her friends wedding in 1995 so they're not all that old. She'd forgotten she had them and they've been relabled with a simple "thank you from ... and ..." type thing. The corks look to be in good shape and they were stored in a dark, cool (basement) cabinet but otherwise I know nothing at all about them. She told me to help myself so maybe I'll be adventurous and open one.

[pennylane]

What?! You mean wine actually goes bad? I had no idea. Should I be drinking all the wine and champagne in my kitchen cabinets before it goes bad??

[Tri2Cook]

Well, I don't know if it actually goes "bad" but I've found a nasty vinegar-like mess that I wouldn't want to drink in a bottle or two in the past. Actually though, the "bad" I had in mind was just wondering out loud if it's going to be crappy wine.

[Chris Hennes]

Well, I don't know if it actually goes "bad" but I've found a nasty vinegar-like mess that I wouldn't want to drink in a bottle or two in the past. Actually though, the "bad" I had in mind was just wondering out loud if it's going to be crappy wine.

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I have yet to meet a white that really improved with age beyond maybe a couple years (actually, seems to be true of many reds as well...), but as long as it was stored well and wasn't corked to begin with I would think it would keep drinkable for the decade or so it has been. Then again, most "thank-you" wine I have received has been, er, less than drinkable to begin with...

[pennylane]

Well, I don't know if it actually goes "bad" but I've found a nasty vinegar-like mess that I wouldn't want to drink in a bottle or two in the past. Actually though, the "bad" I had in mind was just wondering out loud if it's going to be crappy wine.

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Oh, okay, haha! You had mentioned the shape of the corks and the storage conditions so I thought you were referring to possible spoilage.

This is kind of a revelation to me nonetheless - I had always assumed that wine just got better with age! Maybe I should break out some of those bottles on New Year's Eve (one of the rare holidays not associated with food, which thus usually passes unnoticed by me)...

[Brad Ballinger]

I have yet to meet a white that really improved with age beyond maybe a couple years

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You need to purchase some good German Riesling wines, some good Loiire Chenin Blanc, and some good White Burgundy. To start.

Of course, I need to add my disclaimer, that it all depends on taste and preference. Not everyone likes wine with age on it, no matter how much age. Others don't like wine unless it has age on it.

Edited December 31, 2007 by Brad Ballinger (log)