How Can I Tell If My Old Wine Is Still OK to Drink?

Have you ever heard the story of how Jesus warned his followers to "not store new wine in old wineskin?" I am sure someone in the crowd asked himself, "What if it's an old wine? Can old wine be stored in old wineskins or would he disapprove of this as well? Or should I just open the wine immediately and partake of its grapey goodness in its entirety, without worrying about the age or quality of the wineskin?"

Most people, upon seeing a dusty old wine bottle that has been stored seemingly forever, would simply deduce that the bottle of wine is still in good condition. There is a common misconception that wine tastes better after it has aged. However, not all wines do get better with age. Approximately 95% of the world's wines are meant to be consumed relatively quickly, as they are not meant to age. Only the finest and most expensive wines are created to benefit from a watchful aging process performed at controlled temperatures. One rarely sees wine that turns into vinegar, as it used to do in the old days. These days, wine turns brown, flat and dull after going through oxidation caused from long and improper storage.

So how then can you tell if your wine is still in good condition? The answer is quite simple (and probably the one you don't want to hear): Taste it and determine.

An old wine, if it turns bad, will not hurt you. It doesn't turn toxic. It just turns into a bad, cheap Sherry. Depending on the storage conditions, the wine was exposed to, these wines can still be preserved well. Still one should not count on it. If you are planning to open up a bottle of your grandpa's old vintage wine from his collection, you should have a good bottle of new wine available as backup, just in case. If they are wine connoisseurs, your guests may rather leave your house than have another glass of your tainted grapes.

Generally, only the robust reds are best left to age - the Bordeaux, Burgundies and Rhones from France; the Cabernet Sauvignons, Merlots, Pinot Noirs and Syrahs from the New World; the sturdy reds from Italy; and the rich, strong dessert Ports, Sauternes, and Rieslings from Germany, are best left to age. The rest, are best left to chance.

If you are unsure of the condition of your aged wine, the safest thing to do is to have it appraised. The internet is teeming with wine buyers who are experts at appraising old vintage wines. If you play your cards right, you can get your wine appraised for free, and get it sold, hassle free, in the process.