Wine storage,I found it in a hidden storage space in my attic last week. The bottle is still sealed with no cracks. However it appears as though bits of something are floating inside when held up to light. There also appears to be a spot of something on the inside stuck to the bottom. I fear I know the answer to my next question but… would this wine be good to drink or will it have turned to vinegar, or be just terrible to try to drink.
Brian // Aug 28, 2010 at 8:01 pm
The hard answer: No way to really know.
Wine can age for decades in the right conditions, but the attic is full of exactly the wrong conditions. Especially if it was standing on its bottom and not laying down. Although if it has a metal cap, and for Boone’s it’s possible, there’s some chance that the seal has still held and it wouldn’t have made any difference side vs standing.
The bits that are floating are probably solidified sugars and sediment… although again, Boon’s makes this hard to really judge. The stuff on the bottom could be more sediment, over time the solid bits in all wine start to clump together and some of the sugars will crystallize. In longterm storage they rotate the bottles and adjust the conditions to limit this so you wind up with sediment in old reds where there’s just tons of it to begin with.
The reverse is that the metal cap may have failed, bacteria got in and what you have is a colony of e coli living it up in your attic.
I have NO idea how you’d test this and I have to agree with the other poster: It was Boone’s Farm 20 years ago, it certainly hasn’t gotten any better. Go buy a new bottle.
mortgage underwriter // Aug 28, 2010 at 8:01 pm
it was terrible 21 years ago, why would you think it would be good now? it’s probably really bad vinegar too. i wouldn’t drink it or use it for vinegar.
Jeff Smoker // Aug 28, 2010 at 8:01 pm
It will taste horrible but it won’t kill you.
Courtney // Aug 28, 2010 at 8:01 pm
NO!! IT IS GOOD!!! It is just stronger. The more you let wine sit the stronger it gets! Don’t believe me look it up, or watch the history channel!
Joe C // Aug 28, 2010 at 8:01 pm
Part of the reason for making wine or vinegar in the first place IS to preserve a surplus of fruit, so my guess is it may be OK and if it turned to vinegar, then it must be pretty good salad vinegar… In no case would it be ‘poison’, and if it was cheap harsh wine to begin with, then it should be mellower and finer by now
Kitty // Aug 28, 2010 at 8:01 pm
Don’t drink it. It’s too old and the sedement in the bottle is nasty, it’s even beyond vinegar at this point, throw it away.
robrobiii // Aug 28, 2010 at 8:01 pm
Idiot,
If I were you, I’d try to sell it on e-bay with a heading like "well aged fine wine for sale".
See if you can anyone dumber…er, dumb enough to buy it.
bartzbrau // Aug 28, 2010 at 8:01 pm
Boone’s Farm wines were NOT meant to age. They were ready to drink then. Aging such a wine is pointless.
Adam // Aug 28, 2010 at 8:01 pm
i think i’d just pony up the 2 dollars to buy a new bottle
maryjane // Aug 28, 2010 at 8:01 pm
Don’t you trash that vintage, heirloom bottle of memories, get in your car, drive to your nearest bridge, get out w/bottle, go under the bridge, and do your good deed for the week, Give it to a homeless person, everyone will be forever grateful.