1988 Brunello di Montalcino

[sohkb]

I have a bottle of Castello Banfi Montalcino that was given to me as a gift. Is this bottle still good or is it too old to drink?

[Innkeeper]

If it were mine, I would have planned to drink it this year. So, this is the time. Incidentally I do have an '88 Brunello we are drinking this year!

[stevebody]

In all these posts, we've assumed that the wines were held all these years in adequate conditions. It would be rude ot ask someone who gives you a nice bottle of '88 anything (probably from their cellar) if it was properly stored. If it sat out on their credenza in a dining room or was kept sitting upright in a kitchen cabinet, all bets are off. Even a resilient wine like the Brunello can be killed off by excessive temperatures or wild temperature variations or by sunlight, humidity, and too much agitation. If you're absolutely sure the wines were held by someone who knew how to keep them, drink up as noted and prepare for a real experience, at least with the Brunello and the Mondavi. If not, drink 'em and hope for the best but, bottom line, there's no point in keeping any of them longer.