How does one know the lifespan of a bottle

[Not a drop to drink]

I am not new to wines but I have often wondered how does one arrive at the lifespan of a bottle of wine. It is now mid January and a friend was telling me that some 2001 bottles are just about going bad. Could someone shed some light on this topic please?

[Innkeeper]

Hi Not, and welcome to the Wine Board. Your friend may be talking about 2001 Beaujolais Nouveau. Nouveau is made quickly from the current harvest, and so many steips are omitted that it only has a lifespan of three months or so. There are not any other wines I know of that have such a short lifespan, including the other wonderful wines from Beaujolais.

The other and more serious problems about when to open a bottle of wine has to do with whether it has aged enough. Most wine in the world by a long shot is ready to drink when it hits the stores. All whites with the exception of a handful of very expensive White Burgundys are ready to go when you find them. Reds are a little more tricky. If you buy your wine in a super market, it is almost always ready to go. If you go to a wine store, ask. For a simple rule of thumb, if it costs less than $15, go ahead and open it. Certainly there are exceptions, and if you find one, you will be out $10 or so, and will know better next time. Same is true about wines you don't like. So what the heck.



[This message has been edited by Innkeeper (edited 01-17-2002).]

[Not a drop to drink]

Thank you very much InnKeeper for your reply. I will bear those facts in mind the next time I visit my favorite wine store.