Are these wines still drinkable?

Question

An elderly gentleman friend gave my husband a few bottles of wine. I wanted to discard all of them as the man has probably had them for over 20 years. I have NO IDEA if he kept them properly. They are:

BONGIORNO LAMBRUSCO REGGIANO (which actually has a screw top!)

1975 SIGLO Estate Bottled Rioja (in burlap bag)

1971 CANTINE VILLADORIA Riserva Speciale BAROLO (with stickers and wax seals all over the burlap bag the bottle is in)

1976 BISCARDO RECIOTO DELLA VALPOLICELLA AMARONE

Should I discard them? Or can we drink them?

Answers from oenophiles only please :o)

Thank you in advance for your efforts.

Answer 1

I wouldn't discard them without first opening and tasting them. The Lambrusco is almost certainly past it, and the others may be, but it depends on how well they have been stored, but I'd guess they'd still be drinkable -- if you like the taste of old wine.

Not many people have the opportunity to taste some really old wines and you have an ideal opportunity at no cost to yourself.

The wine will not be harmful to you in anyway, your nose is the best guide. Open and pour a glass. If it doesn't smell good to you, then don't drink it.

But beware, that old wines smell old and taste differently to young wines. These tastes are prized by those that love old wines, but many people dislike them. Just because the wine is brown colored, smells old and tastes thin doesn't mean that it is bad -- to some people. Wine tastes are very personal.

An idea might be to round up some friends for a wine tasting. If you can get a recent vintage of the same wines that would be a great way to see how wine ages.

Answer 2

I'm going to start by responding to other answerers. Older does not necessarily mean better or more valuable. A 1975 Beringer White Zin will still taste crappy and will still only be woth $5 a bottle.

Not all wines are meant to age. For wines to have aged this long (30-35 years), they would have had to have been very complex to start.

Lambrusco is a cheap Italian wine that is not usually meant to age. It is supposed to be drunk upon purchase.

Siglo Rioja - I couldn't find anything from that Vintage, but I found an earlier one in a restaurant for 40 pounds. So, that would be a retail of about $15. Open it and try it, but it may not have held up.

Villadoria Barolo - This wine currently retails for around $20, which means the years may not have been kind to it. Give it a try as Barolos often *do* age well.

Recioto Valpolicella - This is a sweeter wine that may have held up. A similar 1974 lists in a restaurant at about $175, meaning a retail of half that. Yours would depend on if that year was as good and if the winemaker was superb.

Open them up and decant them. With wines so old, you may have to let them breathe 4-5 hours, or more. If you open them and the corks are bled through, chances are they will not be good. If the corks are intact and the wine smells ok, then give it a go with dinner. Just have a back-up in case it tastes like vinegar or wet newsaper.

Good luck to you with your find! : )

Answer 3

Most wine is meant to be kept in the cellar around 5-10 years before drinking, and only a few wines age well for the amount of time you are talking about. Old wines may oxidize slowly in the bottle, making them turn very brown and taste flat as the flavor-giving compounds are destroyed.

However, I did a quick google search and I did see a 1970 Cantine Villadoria Barolo on the wine menu of a very fine restaurant. Odds are that the gentlemen who gave these to you knew his wines well and chose the right ones to age.

It could be that this man has unloaded a few bottles on you that are a little past their peak, but the only way to find out if they are still any good is to open them up and taste!

Old wine can disappoint, but it really can't hurt you as it doesn't spoil like other foods. You can look on cellartracker.com to see if your wines are worth anything or not. The link is below.

Good luck, and I hope you have fun with your wines.

Answer 4

It is true that some wines increase in sweetnes and taste, and value, in time... but only certain kinds of wines and if they are stored under the correct conditions. (Screw tops aren't the kind you save.)

I would imagine somebody who has bothered saving wine for so long would have done so purposefully. Here's a useful website I've used in the past that has information on how to correctly stor wines, and tell if a wine is still good:

http://www.intowine.com/cellar.html

Answer 5

yes they are OK to drink. if anything they should better, smoother. but if you don't drink wine might as will sell or give to someone who will enjoy what they have. other wise it be like giving someone a red or blue two dollar bill some people would go to the store and spend it or as who know that they are rare would store or display it.

Answer 6

the older the wine usually the better and more valuable they are
bottlers of wine can be hundreds of years old
what you are suggesting is bordering on insanity

open them up
either its liquid gold ,something for angels to drink
or it has turned to sugar and can be used on deserts or it has become a very expensive vinegar

so it is almost always good for something
my father once almost killed me because i had injected roasting chickens with 50 year old Macon

the screw top may have gone off ,but still would be good as vinegar on salads

Answer 7

There is only one way to find out. Just drink them, they may go bad but will never make you sick.

Answer 8

I would drink them.

Answer 9

I would sell them, not drink them!

Answer 10

THE OLDER THEY ARE THE BETTER THEY TASTE ,DRINK IT.