Found some old wine during a clear-out...
Discussion
Cleared out my garage at home today and found, amongst a few other goodies, a box of old (20-40 years) wine.
Full Size Image - Click Here
I havent taken the bottles out of the box yet so there could be anything below them. The garage was surprisingly very dry and most of the labels are in good condition.
Are there any wines that people recognise to be of good quality?
Advise will be much appreciated.
Cheers
Tom
Full Size Image - Click Here
I havent taken the bottles out of the box yet so there could be anything below them. The garage was surprisingly very dry and most of the labels are in good condition.
Are there any wines that people recognise to be of good quality?
Advise will be much appreciated.
Cheers
Tom
Check here:
www.terroir-france.com
ETA, actually I just checked, I don't think that will help at all
www.terroir-france.com
ETA, actually I just checked, I don't think that will help at all
Edited by missdiane on Wednesday 15th April 19:05
Cheers Di! I am currently searching the net too.
Yeah tuffer, it won't be going to waste now I've found it.
The Chateau Smith-Haut-Lafitte 1976 looks promising, found some bottles for sale for between £30 and several hundred pounds.
It may be worth having a look further down in the box.
Yeah tuffer, it won't be going to waste now I've found it.
The Chateau Smith-Haut-Lafitte 1976 looks promising, found some bottles for sale for between £30 and several hundred pounds.
It may be worth having a look further down in the box.
The drinkability / value of the wine depends entirely on the conditions in which it's been kept.
If your garage is hot in summer then the wine will have lost all of the volatile 'fruit' flavours. If it's cold in winter, it will have thrown a sediment of tartaric acid and taste rather flat as a result.
Auction houses won't touch wine without an assurance of the conditions in which it's been kept - such as a bonded warehouse - so best drink it and hope to be pleasantly surprised.
If your garage is hot in summer then the wine will have lost all of the volatile 'fruit' flavours. If it's cold in winter, it will have thrown a sediment of tartaric acid and taste rather flat as a result.
Auction houses won't touch wine without an assurance of the conditions in which it's been kept - such as a bonded warehouse - so best drink it and hope to be pleasantly surprised.
Yeah, I know the white may not be up to scratch after all this time, I'll leave that one for now.
As for the reds, I'll get a nice bit of steak in and then its a win win situation, either nice steak with freshly bought wine after finding out garage find is rank, or nice steak with nice old wine found in the garage, woo.
I wasn't looking for a get rich quick valuation on the wine as I know about how wine should be kept, but just thought it was an interesting find.
Fingers crossed for when I try it, I'll report back with findings/tastings.
Cheers
Tom
As for the reds, I'll get a nice bit of steak in and then its a win win situation, either nice steak with freshly bought wine after finding out garage find is rank, or nice steak with nice old wine found in the garage, woo.
I wasn't looking for a get rich quick valuation on the wine as I know about how wine should be kept, but just thought it was an interesting find.
Fingers crossed for when I try it, I'll report back with findings/tastings.
Cheers
Tom
Mobile Chicane said:
Auction houses won't touch wine without an assurance of the conditions in which it's been kept - such as a bonded warehouse - so best drink it and hope to be pleasantly surprised.
Couldn't agree more.You can't sell the stuff as it could well be piss. On the other hand some of it may be great.
So - each night you fancy a bottle of wine buy in something modern that would do - and then try something from your cardboard box. If the box wine turns out to be ace you leave your modern bottle in the fridge/cupboard under the stairs. If it turns out to be ropey you open the new wine.
In due course you'll have enjoyed the bottles that were any good but not actually had a night where there was nothing to drink.
I would only open bottles of this provenance with good friends who were as up for the experiment as I was - on an occasion when I needed to be sure the wine would be right I probably wouldn't open an uncellared twenty year old bottle...
Advice I got when I found some old bottles
If pouring wine from Old bottles with sediment 'tis best to empty bottle in one pour ie put into decanter, (glass by glass sloshes the stuff about)
To maximise volume without sediment tip bottle slowly with torch behind so you can stop when you see the sediment coming.
Old wine can change characteristic very rapidly when exposed to the air and may only be drinkable for a brief time (if at all)
good luck (I didn't rate mine much)
If pouring wine from Old bottles with sediment 'tis best to empty bottle in one pour ie put into decanter, (glass by glass sloshes the stuff about)
To maximise volume without sediment tip bottle slowly with torch behind so you can stop when you see the sediment coming.
Old wine can change characteristic very rapidly when exposed to the air and may only be drinkable for a brief time (if at all)
good luck (I didn't rate mine much)
Gassing Station | Food, Drink & Restaurants | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff