Wine question

[jackio Gold Contributor Find all posts View Profile Close jackio]

We have been the recipients of many bottles of wine over the years. Since we rarely drink, most of them have sat, unopened, for years, on top of my cabinets, between the cabinets and the ceilings. They are standing up straight and have had temperature fluctuations just like the rest of the rooms.
Question - any chance they are still drinkable, or should I dump them and not risk poisoning the good people who would be given them. Thanks.

[BoardGirl Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close BoardGirl]

Don't dump them. use them to cook with or save for holidays to serve warm spiced. Sangria would be my other choice.

[bigfrank Administrator Find all posts View Profile Close bigfrank]

Don't dump them. use them to cook with or save for holidays to serve warm spiced. Sangria would be my other choice.

add to above if it does not taste right use it for vinegar. My friend Jimmy has a wine barrel that he pours left over or bad wine in and makes his own vinegar.

[T. R. Oglodyte Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close T. R. Oglodyte]

You're not going to poison anyone, but I would try to work through them. Using for cooking, sangria, or mulling are good suggestions. Of find someone who might be interested in taking them.

If you do use them for cooking or Sangria I would first taste them to be sure they are still palatable before using them. You don't have to be a sophisticated taster. If it's gone seriously bad you can pick it up. Just try it and see if the flavor is something that seems offensive - common off flavors would be moldy or like old dame wet cardboard, or maybe a bit like sour laundry. Or vinegary.

For anything that has a screw top or synthetic cork, storing upright isn't a problem. It's only with natural cork stoppers that storage on the side is important.

++++

added note:

in many cases the effect of not storing under controlled conditions will be to age the wine more quickly. So if the wine was made a "drink now" wine when you received it, it will probably have faded. (But probably still good for cooking, sangria, etc.). It's possible that some of the other stuff might actually be in good shape. If you have a wino friend, invite them to look over what you've got and pick out what they think might be interesting.

[jackio Gold Contributor Find all posts View Profile Close jackio]

Thanks for the good advice. We'll take it one bottle at a time, sampling or warning the recipient.

[singlemalt_18 Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close singlemalt_18]

Thanks for the good advice. We'll take it one bottle at a time, sampling or warning the recipient.

Sounds like a fun adventure.

The wine should be fairly easy to read; it will either be drinkable (and pleasant if you have a taste for wine), or it will be unpleasant the minute it goes past your lips! If it is at all cloudy don't bother with it.

One thing you may want to be aware of is the difficullty old dry corks can present when attempting to uncork. Have a good screw and use slow, steady, even pressure. Also try not to jostle the bottles around too much to keep any sediment on the bottom from remixing into the wine. How old are some of these bottles? If you have any friends or relatives that are into wine, they may be able to help you separate any potential gems from that which is just old jug wine.

Have fun!

[jackio Gold Contributor Find all posts View Profile Close jackio]

Sounds like a fun adventure.

The wine should be fairly easy to read; it will either be drinkable (and pleasant if you have a taste for wine), or it will be unpleasant the minute it goes past your lips! If it is at all cloudy don't bother with it.

One thing you may want to be aware of is the difficullty old dry corks can present when attempting to uncork. Have a good screw and use slow, steady, even pressure. Also try not to jostle the bottles around too much to keep any sediment on the bottom from remixing into the wine. How old are some of these bottles? If you have any friends or relatives that are into wine, they may be able to help you separate any potential gems from that which is just old jug wine.

Have fun!

Some of them may be 20 years old or so, some only around 5.

[singlemalt_18 Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close singlemalt_18]

Some of them may be 20 years old or so, some only around 5.

Wow!

So let me get this straight... you have friends that have bringing you wine gifts for 20 years and you never told them you're not really into wine?

What are your plans for all of the new cupboard space you are going to free up!

[jackio Gold Contributor Find all posts View Profile Close jackio]

Wow!

So let me get this straight... you have friends that have bringing you wine gifts for 20 years and you never told them you're not really into wine?

What are your plans for all of the new cupboard space you are going to free up!

LOL. DH was a postman for 35 years before he retired, and most of the bottles were Christmas gifts from his patrons. We would bring them to parties as hostess gifts, but there was no way we could re-gift all of them. Besides, everyone knows he got them as tips so they would know they were re-gifted.

[LisaH Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close LisaH]

LOL. DH was a postman for 35 years before he retired, and most of the bottles were Christmas gifts from his patrons. We would bring them to parties as hostess gifts, but there was no way we could re-gift all of them. Besides, everyone knows he got them as tips so they would know they were re-gifted.

So what? there are gifts that are worth to be re-gifted such as wine, LOL...I guess you don't have such dilemma now that he has retired.