Found a bottle of Chianti Classico from 1962 in the cellar. It is not a normal bottle, but with a bulgy bottom and half of it packed in some sort of reed grass. Is this still drinkable? Greetings Aloys Martens
Answer From Expert Roger Bohmrich MW
The bottle you have is packaged in what once was a very popular and distinctive method: a bottle with a rounded, bulbous lower portion covered in straw. Called a "fiasco" in Italian, this bottle is immediately recognizable and emblematic of a certain period in the history of Italian wines. It has largely been replaced by the more conventional straight-sided bottle (without straw) used around the world. I would guess the 1962 is well past its best and probably far too old. You'll know immediately if there's a brown color and a vinegary smell.
