Wine spoilage

[vhost]

I brought home a bottle of Lindaman's Sauvignon Blanc that I thought was '99 vintage. When I got home, I discovered to my horror, that I ended up with a bottle of '96. I took one of the bottles behind the display bottle (which was 99), and didn't notice the descrepency. Anyway, that seems a bit old, and I'm wondering if I should return it for a '99 or go ahead and drink it. Any thoughts??

[Drew]

I'd return it.

Drew

[Innkeeper]

Don't be too sure about the '99. Remember that the Southern Hemisphere is a season ahead of us, so a '99 is really like an American '98. This is a help when it comes to reds, but can be a real problem with whites. I would look for an '01, and would think twice about an '00 in an white from Oz or anyplace else south of the Equator.