How Much is Your Old Bottle of Wine Worth?

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!

What Can Be Learned From a Wine's Color

You may have seen it.  Someone with a glass of wine looking very closely at it. Or even slightly tipping the glass of wine over a bit to take an even closer look.

Well, there are several things that can be learned by just looking at your wine. And, using a white background, as shown in the photo, will greatly help in this activity.

The first thing that you can learn by looking closely at your glass of wine has to do with the body, or boldness, of your wine. A lighter colored wine will have a lighter body, or lighter flavor, than one that's a deeper hue.

A red wine will vary in color from a pale, almost pinkish, red to a deep purple.  Pale reds are going to be lighter in flavor and intensity. Prime examples would include Gamay (Beaujolais) and Pinot Noir (Red Burgundy). A medium-bodied wine will be more opaque but will usually have a lighter hue around the edges. These wines include Merlot, Zinfandel and Sangiovese (Chianti). Then, you get to the full-bodied red wines that are deep purple in color, opaque, and full of flavor. These will have big flavor and, when young, big tannin (which leads to that astringent mouth-drying sensation). These wines include Malbec, Petite Sirah, Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon.

Color also varies with the age of a wine. Older red wines will generally get lighter in color and often take on some orange or brown hues around the edge of the glass. Older red wines can be amazing as their tannin softens. But an oxidized wine will have off-flavors (nutty) and generally be undesirable to drink.

The color of white wines can also tell you a lot about the wine. And, we'll get to that next time. Until then, Cheers!

What's the Intrigue of an Old Bottle of Wine?

Like an old coin, an old painting, an old stamp, an old car or any other antique, old items hold certain appeal and intrigue. Maybe it's the notion of what was happening at the time when the item was made. Or, it could just be the look and feel of an old item that evokes an emotional experience when thinking back to the time when the item was produced.

In some ways, an old bottle of wine is like an antique. But, unlike any other type of antique, while it is indeed old, it has changed since it was originally produced. That, I believe, provides the real intrigue.

After wine goes into the bottle it continues to evolve. Even though it looks like it's still, the wine goes through further chemical reactions that can alter the way it looks, smells, tastes and feels in your mouth. Sometime for the better and sometimes for the worse. But, nonetheless, older wines from the better wine regions of the world and from the better wineries do become more sought after when they have aged.

Pulling the cork on an old bottle can be a big thrill. Hopefully, it's still drinkable. And if it is, it may be unlike any wine you've ever tasted.

But, generally speaking, drink your wines young (with in 10 years of the vintage date) as they are in their prime. If you do choose to lay a few bottles down, ensure they are stored in a cool, dark environment.  Cheers!