Old bottles of red wine

[NiceCupOfTea]

I'm not a big wine drinker - especially not red - but I have acquired a couple of dozen bottles over the last 20 years or so. I should think they're all in the £5-15 area, supermarket specials, probably quite drinkable (as far as I'm concerned) for the most part. Either stored in a horizontal wine rack in the kitchen, or upright in a cool cupboard.

My question is, are they still drinkable after several years? I'm not naive enough to think they will have improved, but just wondering if I can give them away or maybe even sell as a "job lot" without them having gone bad and people getting cross? :Laugh:

[andyA700]

NiceCupOfTea said:

I'm not a big wine drinker - especially not red - but I have acquired a couple of dozen bottles over the last 20 years or so. I should think they're all in the £5-15 area, supermarket specials, probably quite drinkable (as far as I'm concerned) for the most part. Either stored in a horizontal wine rack in the kitchen, or upright in a cool cupboard.

My question is, are they still drinkable after several years? I'm not naive enough to think they will have improved, but just wondering if I can give them away or maybe even sell as a "job lot" without them having gone bad and people getting cross? :Laugh:

The kitchen is possibly the worst place to store wine, the best way would have been horizontal on a rack in a cool cupbard - sorry. They may well be drinkable, but the risk with the kitchen ones is that they may start to taste a bit sour. A lot depends on whether they have corks or screwtop.

[NiceCupOfTea]

A mixture of corks and screwtop. I suspect most have been vertical in a cupboard. Maybe I need to spend an hour with Google and make a spreadsheet of them...

[Meeten-5dulx]

NiceCupOfTea said:

A mixture of corks and screwtop. I suspect most have been vertical in a cupboard. Maybe I need to spend an hour with Google and make a spreadsheet of them...

Or don’t bother.
Clear space in the cupboards and just start drinking it.

You’re a long time dead…..

[vaud]

Just drink them, or cook with them.

[hairy v]

Supermarket wines often have a disclaimer of "best consumed witihn 2 years" although that's probably just to cover themselves.

I wouldn't think you will make much money on them.

If you need any help disposing of them though, just send them this way.

[vaud]

Or give them to your local church fete / tombola.

You won't make any money on supermarket wines unless they were very special and well kept.

[Bobupndown]

They will be dangerously undrinkable by now. Send them to me and I will ensure they are all made safe and disposed of safely.

[Chris Stott]

A wine that cost £15 20 years ago could possibly be pretty decent!

Most will probably be well past their best and some/all could be completely undrinkable.

Post a list of what you have.

[NiceCupOfTea]

OK, just went through what I can find and have listed below. I think there's a couple of reasonable bottles in there, but probably a dozen or so are dusty and sticky (which probably means they were stored in the kitchen on their sides I don't think there's anything that I can retire on in there, mostly looks like supermarket stuff.

Carmen Gran Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon 2017
Sancerre Pinot Noir 2019
Marlborough "Exquisite Collection" Pinot Noir NZ 2015
Stark-Conde Cabernet Sauvignon SA 2015
Turner Road Reserve Merlot California 2016
Campo Viejo - Tempranillo Rioja Spain 2011
Banrock Station Cabernet Sauvignon = Shiraz Australia 2012
Wolf Blass - Red Label Shiraz - Cabernet Australia 2013
Sainsburys Mulled Wine
Hardy's Cabernet - Merlot Australia 2011
Castillo de Albai Crianza Rioja Spain 2011
Chilean Carmenere Reserva (Waitrose) Carmenere - Cabernet Sauvignon Chile 2011
Jacob's Creek Reserve Shiraz - Cabernet Australia Vintage 2006
Faustino VII Rioja Spain 2015
Casillero del Diablo Merlot Chile 2006
Six Hats Shiraz South Africa 2016
Vinedos Barrihuelo Rioja Spain 2008
Carta Roja Gran Reserva Monastrell Spain 2008
Graham Beck Brut Rose Pinot Noir - Chardonnay SA 2018
Fitou - Beaux Arts Fitou France 2014
Echo Falls Rose California
Faustino VII Rioja Spain 2013

Stuff in bold looks the best I reckon...

Edited by NiceCupOfTea on Thursday 25th August 19:13

Edited by NiceCupOfTea on Thursday 25th August 19:15

[tgr]

Most of them could be fine. Or could be shot, depending on your kitchen.

Given they're essentially worthless, there's only one way to find out. Just be prepared to open a backup every time in case it has to go down the sink

[vaud]

tgr said:

Most of them could be fine. Or could be shot, depending on your kitchen.

Given they're essentially worthless, there's only one way to find out. Just be prepared to open a backup every time in case it has to go down the sink

We stayed at our in laws a few years ago with a few friends where they said "help yourself"

From 20 bottles, 4 weren't corked/ruined.

We had to explain.

Oh, and they had Labbatts Ice with a best before of 1997.

[Some Gump]

vaud said:

We stayed at our in laws a few years ago with a few friends where they said "help yourself"

From 20 bottles, 4 weren't corked/ruined.

We had to explain.

Oh, and they had Labbatts Ice with a best before of 1997.

You went to your in laws, and had 20 bottles of wine?
Wow!

[vaud]

Some Gump said:

You went to your in laws, and had 20 bottles of wine?
Wow!

There were 4 of us.

We opened 20 bottles. 4 were drinkable.

The others went down the drain.

[vaud]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

They were rat-arsed.

[mattyprice4004]

vaud said:

They were rat-arsed.

At least the drains will be clear!