What to do with 30 year old wine

[brottman]

My parents recently revealed to me a couple bottles of white wine (I'm not sure exactly what kind) that my dad bought in Germany in 1984. Unfortunately, I think it's been stored upright for the last 30 years in a dark cupboard. We thought about opening a bottle soon and seeing what it's like. Since it is white wine, will it be any good after all this time? I've heard whites don't age as well/long as reds.

Any other suggestions as to what we should do with it?

 

[sour_grapes]

Unlikely to be drinkable. Does it have any sentimental value as a display?

 

[brottman]

My dad didn't seem to think so. He just casually suggested we open it and see what it's like. He was even going to send a bottle home with me for my wife and I to drink and let him know... I turned that down pretty quickly. I wouldn't dare of just drinking someone else's wine that they aged that long without them.

 

[vernsgal]

personally, if my parents had a bottle of 30 year old wine that had no sentimental value, I would share it with them,good or bad, then keep one if possible for the new sentimental memory it has given me.

 

[Boatboy24]

Highly unlikely it would be any good. But it'll be fun finding out.

 

[dralarms]

Well, last year I was given a bottle of honey wine that was bottled in 1989, stored upright in a basement. It was good, too dry for me but was good. I did have to run it through a coffee filter since the cork fell apart. I say open it and try it. It won't kill you and might even be good.

 

[JohnT]

Can you take a look at the wine? Is there any sediment in the bottle? Does it appear brown? What does the ullage look like (the air pocket/head space in the bottle).

Any way you could provide a close up picture?

 

[ffemt128]

I would open it and give it a try. Julie found some mystery wine at her son's house from the prior owner. We gave it a try, it didn't taste all that appealing but it didn't kill us either...lol

 

[Kraffty]

A few year back I was given about 20 different bottles of wine stored indoors upright at an average of maybe 75 degrees. Ages ranged from 10 to 20 years old and all were undrinkable. There's always a slim chance but you might as well open them, more age isn't going to improve them any.
Mike

 

[jamesjr]

Just went through the same thing a client at work gave me some old bottles that weren't stored properly. The cork literally fell to dust.

 

[Julie]

I would open it and give it a try. Julie found some mystery wine at her son's house from the prior owner. We gave it a try, it didn't taste all that appealing but it didn't kill us either...lol

ROFLMAO, when Doug says "we tried it" he means he and I tried it, the rest of the house full of people who were there would not! If nothing else we know what a very oxidized wine looks and taste like.

 

[Rocky]

In all likelihood, it will not be the greatest drink you ever had, but it is worth a try. I have some Delaware grape wine that I made in New York in the mid 1990's that is still "drinkable," i.e. wont kill you. There are only about 4 bottles left in the cellar and we use it mainly for cooking.

 

[jensmith]

I also found a stash of old upright bottles at my grandmothers house. Some from the 80's. The corks would either fall apart or hold just enough to take out. Serprisingly most of them were still drinkable. Some were not. It was fun sampeling and trying them.

Try it. It would be silly to toss a full bottle! You can at least empty and refill the bottle with fresh homemade wine. Then give it back, it now has sentamentail value.



Sent from my iPod touch using Wine Making

 

[brottman]

Pictures! The fill level on the darker label is just below the upper label. The level of the gold one is about to the top of the black symbol.

 

[brottman]

We ended up opening both bottles. They were both dark in color, and tasted similar to vinegar and were not that good. One was a little better than the other.

 

[GreginND]

These are both sparkling wines and should be carbonated. Where there any bubbles left?

 

[brottman]

Not really

 

[Boatboy24]

Oh well.

A sign of the times they were made: the labels specifying West Germany.