Can I improve the apparent quality of bought wine?

Question

When I served some overage red wine to friends some time ago, our best glasses had been stored in an old oak Welsh dresser for some time. They said the wine was excellent, you could taste the oak! I wondered if there are other ways to make decent, average red wine seem like a top quality, Premier Cru Bordeaux?

whoops, I meant Average not Overage

Answer 1

Yes - first is the stemware. Use Riedel (rhymes with needle). It is specifically made for wine from Austria. Second, you will need to find a home brew store. Most cities have them. You will never turn a bottle of Almaden into Rubicon, or Opus, but you can improve it's taste and age. However, cost will be a factor. You may even try making your own wine. You might be surprised how well it comes out if you have someone help you with experience.
**DOGGLEBE** You are correct the glass does not absorb but you can still taste different flavors in wine. The wine actually absorbs the oak from the casks made to produce the wine. Read Parker or Wine Spectator

Answer 2

I can't believe the oak taste was from the glasses! Was the wine not fermented in oak barrels anyway?!
The best thing you can do is to uncork the wine, or decant it and let it breathe before drinking and serve at the correct temperature. Short of that, take a look at wine reports on the Internet and in the press. You shouldn't have to pay a lot for a decent wine.

Answer 3

Decant, Decant, Decant. You won't turn a $10 bottle of wine into a $100 bottle of wine, but you can make it taste more like a $30 or $40 bottle of wine.

Answer 4

Glass does not absorb wood odors or flavors. Your friends may be smelling the dresser and thinking it's from the wine.

Answer 5

Chips and Dip

Answer 6

I can't drink wine make me feel sick ...