I see this question come up periodically. Someone has an old bottle of wine or discovers that their parents stashed away a bottle that is now quite old. And the first question a lot of people have is “What is this old bottle of wine worth?”

Well, there’s likely just one answer — it’s worthless to anyone else except you. And to you, it might be priceless.

The general consensus is that an individual bottle of old wine is usually not sell-able. Most wine collectors will only purchase wines from other known collectors that have been kept as part of a larger collection or from establishments they can trust to have properly stored the bottle over the years (i.e., keeping it cool and away from light).

So, the question you really should be asking is “Is this old bottle of wine still good?” If it’s been in a kitchen cabinet, attic or closet, it’s likely not drinkable. If it has been properly cellared, the bottle of wine at least has a chance of being drinkable. But not all wines cellar well. It’s usually the full-bodied red wines with lots of tannin that hold up best over time.

So, you’ll likely be faced with a tough decision - do you continue to hold the old bottle, keep it as a show piece in your own collection, or do you open it? It’s entirely up to you. But I say, open the bottle and give it a try! Cheers!