Q&A: Wine & Food Questions
Found a bottle of Pinot Noir, is it still good?
I recently began renovation on my home and found a 1999 Windsor Vineyards Signature Series Pinot Noir on top of a cabinet. It has been on it's side up there collecting dust for at least the last 8 years and I'm wondering if it is worth opening up or is 9 years too long for a Pinot Noir to sit in it's bottle. The cork has not dried out and I keep my house at about 68-75 degrees all year.
Thanks,
Michael
Answer From Expert Roger C. Bohmrich, MW
Unfortunately, this is a relatively fast-maturing wine, and the bottle has been stored in one of the least favorable places in a house. Bear in mind that the top of a cabinet is the warmest part of a room, and there is also considerable exposure to light. That said, the best answer to your question is simply to open the bottle and taste the wine, as that is the only way to be certain of the condition.
About The Expert
Roger has enjoyed a lengthy career in the wine trade as an importer and retailer, and at present he is an educator, speaker and consultant. He set up and managed Millesima USA, a New York merchant affiliated with Europe's leader in direct sales of fine wines to consumers. Previously, he served as senior executive of Frederick Wildman & Sons, traveling regularly around the world to visit wineries and taste the new vintage from barrel. Roger became one of America's first Masters of Wine in 1993.
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