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+--- Thread: Yard Sale find - help for a novice? (/thread-1675.html)
- stevew - 05-01-1999
I just purchased three bottles of wine at a yard sale and I know nothing about the subject. First of all - they were stored in a shed, on their sides but not at all climate controlled. They are: Chateau La Dominique. St.Emilion Grand Cru Classe 1982, Chateau D'Issan Margaux, Mis En Bouteilles Au Chateau 1983, and Chateau Leoville Barton 1982 Saint-Julien. The labels on the 1st and last are peeling off and the foil on the very top of the cork is missing on the last two. I found the Leoville Barton on an internet site for $299. I guess my question is: Due to the condition of the bottles and poor storage conditions they were kept in, should I try to sell them or just open them and, if they are still good, just enjoy a nice wine?
- Thomas - 05-02-1999
If they were stored in a shed for years, and went through winters and summers, I would be quite surprised to learn of their drinkability, especially the suspicious nature of the capsule and cork.
Anyone buying older wines would want to know their storage conditions, and wnyone selling would be a thief if he/she did not disclose the information.
Incidentally, the Loeville, if drinkable, is a favorit of mine, but I think I shall pass on this particular bottle.
- Thomas - 05-02-1999
I really must do something about my typing skills.
- stevew - 05-02-1999
Thanks Foodie.
I opened the Leoville Barton tonight and it tastes pretty good to me, but as I said I know very little about wine. I'll open the others in the next couple of weeks. Hey, for $2.00 a bottle at a yard sale it was sure worth the try.
- Thomas - 05-03-1999
Do you think you could describe what the Leoville tasted like to you? I'd be interested in knowing.
- n144mann - 05-03-1999
It is interesting that this bottle may have made it through with little damage. Foodie, did you ever read Dick Peterson's reply to a post in the storage/cellaring folder? He was talking about seeing bottles go from freezing temps to 100 degree heat for years with little damage. He had come to the conclusion that it may not be the amount of temp change, but rather the rapidly changing temps that ruin the wine. I thought at the time it was interesting, and more so now.
- stevew - 05-03-1999
Not knowing wine very well, I'm not sure what you are looking for in a taste description. I have only had "good" wine a couple of times in a restaurant and this was equal to those. (Don't ask me what they were, I have no idea). As I understand it, when wine goes bad it gets a vinegary taste to it, I did not notice any with this wine. It just seemed like a very smooth red wine to me, very slightly sour, no alcohol taste like you get with cheap wine. When I first opened it I let it breathe for about 20 minutes, I thought I noticed a slightly bitter aftertaste that disappeared after I let it sit longer. One thing about these bottles -- even though they were in this shed, I'm not sure how long they had been in there. A couple of years I'm guessing, because the guy's mother had died about three years ago. There were a bunch of empty bottles also and they were all in a box that had cobwebs all over it. It looked like they had been moved from somewhere else several years ago.
- Thomas - 05-03-1999
You did a good job at description -- that "sour" you refer to is probably the fact that the wine is bone dry. Sour is not a term used to describe a drinkable wine -- at least not in front of a winemaker.
Nancy,
Re: Peterson, perhaps, but if a wine freezes, which it can in sub-zero temperatures, the first problem is that it will push the cork, which of course leads to all other problems.
I suppose light has more to do with spoilage than temperature, especially ultra-violet light.
- stevew - 05-03-1999
OK, Now that my interest has been piqued on wine, where should I start on the web, or elsewhere, for a good primer on what makes a good wine. I'm getting tired of the microbrew thing anyway, it has become too trendy for me. I started making beer just before the microbrew revolution started and it is time to try something else (although I won't turn down a good stout or porter).
BTW - the bottles of wine we have been talking about were certainly kept in the dark since they were on the bottom of the closed box.
- n144mann - 05-03-1999
foodie, don't get me wrong, I am not about to stick my wine out in a shed, it is safely down in my basement where it stays a nice 58 degrees most of the year. It creeps up slightly in the summer, but always below 65. I just thought it was interesting.
Steve, there are lots of good books. Wine for Dummies is a good place to start. There are others too, maybe someone else on here will remember their names. I remember this one because of a discussion about the title, but it comes recommended by several people on this board. WC's wine trader carries lots of books,I am sure you can find something there to get you started.
Nancy
[This message has been edited by n144mann (edited 05-03-99).]
- Thomas - 05-03-1999
Nancy is correct, try some books that Wine Trader offers, but remember this: there is no substitute for tasting wine.
Get yourself to some wine tastings; maybe join a wine club like the American Wine Society.
After you begin to discover wine with food, it is hard not to get excited by it, and it is a much more broad subject than beer -- although from a historic sense, beer is the older beverage.
- n144mann - 05-03-1999
I have to back foodie 100% on this one Steve. Reading can teach you about the make up of the wine, and what characteristics to look for in different wines, as well as history etc, but nothing compares to sitting down with some nice wines at home, or going to tastings (which are a huge amount of fun I might add) and really tasting a lot of wines. What is MOST important to remember is that wine doesn't have to be a sophisticated snobby affair, have fun with it!! You will learn more and it will be a lot more enjoyable!
Nancy
PS- Foodie, do you have the info on the AWS??
Oh Steve, one more thing, alot of people get stuck thinking that all "good" wines must be expensive. This is not true. Read back through the tasting notes in the folders on this forum for some good QPR wines to get you started.
[This message has been edited by n144mann (edited 05-03-99).]
- Jerry D Mead - 05-04-1999
Another beginner wine book that I like is "Shortcuts To Wine" by Ed Masciana...and even for those who know a thing or three it has one of the best basic explanations of how the wine trade works...producer mark-up to wholesaler, wholesaler to retail or restaurants and so on, and the kind of mark-ups each step along the way.
JDM
- Thomas - 05-04-1999
Nancy,
The person to contact at AWS is Angel Nardone, in Rochester, NY. Don't have phone number at my fingertips, I'll look for it.
AWS has chapters throughout the country, all of which hold tastings about once a month; each member takes a turn at hosting a tasting, and to come up with a theme for it.
- n144mann - 05-04-1999
Thanks Foodie, I will work on it from this end also!
Nancy
- stevew - 05-04-1999
Thanks to everyone for the info. Guess I'll make a trip to Amazon to look at books. I'll be back on again in a few months when I know what I'm talking about. I'll let y'all know how the other bottles turn out.