40yr old wine for birthday gift - drinkable or novelty?

[TheFungle]

It's been a while since I've posted in here

My BiL is celebrating his 40th his month and for his 'main' present we are getting him a Campagnolo corkscrew.

As a smaller gift to go alongside it I thought it would be nice to get a 'matching' bottle of Italian wine. A quick Google throws up the following https://www.winememories.co.uk/product/1976-calcin...

At this age and indeed price, will the wine likely be acceptable? If it's likely to be vinegar I'm as well mocking up a 1976 label and sticking it to a bottle of 2015s finest

[JakeT]

Had three bottles of tawny port from '76 for some time before drinking them. They needed to go through a coffee filer before going into the decanter but was the only port I have ever drank that didn't make me hate myself. We still have a bottle that has by appointment of King George V written on it... So latest it will be is a '36!

[sgrimshaw]

The company linked to in the OP has a refund or replace guarantee if you're not satisfied ... nothing to lose, I'd go for it.

[Mr Trophy]

Why are all the wines so cheap?

[crossy67]

I'd be worried if the wine I bought came with as much air on the top at the one in the bottle. Where has the wine gone? If it's gone out through the cork then the cork is buggered which means the wine will be too.

For £40 odd I wouldn't be expecting a decent rink at that age.

[ehonda]

I had some on my 40th, not the same as the link provided, it was bloody horrid, might have been OK on fish and chips, definitely not drinkable.

[The Beast of Codfin]

A 40yo port will be delicious, that wine will be rank.

[thebraketester]

As above. Go with a 40 y/o bottle of port. mmmmmmm port. :-)

[Davey S2]

crossy67 said:

I'd be worried if the wine I bought came with as much air on the top at the one in the bottle. Where has the wine gone? If it's gone out through the cork then the cork is buggered which means the wine will be too.

For £40 odd I wouldn't be expecting a decent rink at that age.

That's known as ullage and happens to most old wines but obviously if there has been a lot then its not a good sign.

It will all depend on how the wine has been stored as to whether its drinkable or not. Also do some research on the wine itself as not all wines are capable of aging for 40 years irrespective of how they have been stored. Really good Barolo should be ok though.

[Wombat3]

Depends how good a year it was. If it was a great year there will be stuff around that is fantastic - but then you will also pay a fantastic price for it.

76 was not a great year from what can be seen on Google - but better than 75 (for Bordeaux wine). With port they don't even declare a Vintage every year & I don't think there was one in 76 http://www.vintageport.biz/port_vintage_chart.html...

I think I'd be looking for a different kind of gift.

[Riley Blue]

The Beast of Codfin said:

A 40yo port will be delicious, that wine will be rank.

For my 60th birthday my O/H gave me a bottle of 1949 port (the year I was born). Six years later I still have it but the temptation to open it is getting harder to resist as the years pass...

[AndyAudi]

I have a few bottles of '76 Larcis Ducasse still kicking about if it's for novelty value.
I can stick one in the post to you if you want, FOC, they're just taking up space.
(Only ever opened one & wasn't in a hurry to do another one)

[thebraketester]

AndyAudi said:

I have a few bottles of '76 Larcis Ducasse still kicking about if it's for novelty value.
I can stick one in the post to you if you want, FOC, they're just taking up space.
(Only ever opened one & wasn't in a hurry to do another one)

Was it that bad?

[condor]

A 40 year old tawny port would be great as a gift.

[RDMcG]

condor said:

A 40 year old tawny port would be great as a gift.

Makes sense. 1976 was not a declared a vintage year, so no true vintage port for that year.

[maturin23]

I shared a bottle of 1880 Sercial Madeira with three other friends a couple of years ago and it was delicious.
Still have the empty bottle.

Bright as a button but bottled when Charles Darwin was still alive.

So you should be safe with a Madeira from 1976 if you can find one

[C70R]

thebraketester said:

As above. Go with a 40 y/o bottle of port. mmmmmmm port. :-)

This is cracking advice. As long as you're careful with the cork and decant to breathe, a 40yr old port will be a significantly better gift £-for-£ than wine.