Expiration for Reds

[jv38]

Not all wine was created to withstand the test of time. Only a small amount of wine can mature with time. The two merlots that you opened may not have one of those. Other possibility is the storage. To keep a wine for a long period of time the bottle is required to be on a controlled environment with tem around 55-60 degrees and humidity, constantly.

The sediment in the wine is normal. The bitter taste may be that it went bad.