Wine Shelf Life

[Just*Me]

Wow, I've been reading some of your posts about shelf life, peak etc. What is a good guideline for red wines? My boyfriend and me bought a bottle in 01 dated 99...probably should drink it soon hugh? lol...

[winoweenie]

Hi Jes' and welcome to the board. You need to give more info to get an answer. What's the wine...Winery, vineyard, and type. okie-dokie? WW

[Kcwhippet]

What was the wine? Winery? Vintage year? Grape? It's ahrd to tell without that info. Some 99's are already dead, some will be good for another 10, 15, 20 years.

[Just*Me]

You got it. When I get home tonight I'll look it up. I believe it's a California wine, we got it on our first weekend together (nothing facy or expensive), ended up not drinking it but were planning on opening it on our 5th which is in May...thanks!

[This message has been edited by Just*Me (edited 04-24-2006).]

[Just*Me]

Obviously I've got a lot to learn...give me time...(that's the embarrased smiley right?)

[Just*Me]

The wine is a Cabernet Sauvignon, Kendall Jackson Santa Rosa 99 Vintner's Reserve(?)

[Kcwhippet]

The KJ Cabs are usually good for about 5 - 7 years from vintage date. If you've kept it in decent storage (not in the cupboard over your stove), it should still be good, though it may have already peaked.

[Innkeeper]

So long as is hasn't been "cooked", that is subjected to high temps (over 75 degrees F) for very long periods, it should be fine. The higher the temp, the quicker it cooks. The trunk of a car on a 90 degree day could do it by the time you get home. Always, particularly if you live in LA, transport wine in the comfort of your air conditioned vehicle.

[Just*Me]

Thanks guys! It was kept in a closet for a long time, we actually had forgotten about it, right now I have it in a wine rack in the kitchen but the temp in my house is a steady 72 on most days, lol.

It sounds like it may still be ok. It's a good thing we're drinking it in May [img]http://www.wines.com/ubb2/smile.gif[/img]

[Kcwhippet]

Wines that are meant for aging are best kept at about 55* F where they can undergo chemical changes at a leisurely pace, but they age faster at higher temps. There's something in chemistry called the Arrehinius equation, which states that the speed of a chemical reaction will double for every 18* F rise in temperature. That means that keeping a wine from 2001 through 2006 at about 73* F (18* F higher than 55* F) will age it about the same as it would at 55* F for 10 years. Whenever wines are said to be able to go a certain number of years, it's assumed they're being stored at 55* F. Also, humidity is an important factor if you're ever thinking about long term storage, and somewhere between 50 and 80% relative humidity is best (65% RH is just about ideal). So, all that's to say that it's possible your wine is really over the hill, but the best way to judge is to open it up and try it. Incidentally, about 95% of all the wines made in the world are really made to be drunk within a few years of vintage.

[This message has been edited by Kcwhippet (edited 04-25-2006).]

[Just*Me]

Here I thought wine just tasted good, lol.
Well from now on I'll make sure I consume what I have within a couple of years. Obviously I'm not a collector or anything like that but it's nice to have something for special occasions or just a nice quiet evening...

You're all so informative, anyone wanna know about California Labor Law? (joke)

[Triple H]

My siter-in-law who only drinks cheap white wine buys silver oak just because...long story. Anyway, a few weeks ago they came over and brought a bottle of the 98 Napa Valley Silver Oak which had been sitting in their kitchen under the counter for probably 4 or 5 years...not sure when the release of that would have been.

Not a very good year in Napa combined with poor storage and this bottle was mostly dead.

Long story just to emphasize what poor storage can do.

[Kcwhippet]

Well, the 1998 Napa was released in February of 2003. If it was cellared properly (55* F and 65% RH, of course) it shoud have been good through 2020. The 98 Napa was actually a very nice wine. The 98 vintage was given a bad rap, but a lot of very nice wines were made that year, especially Napa Cabs.

[Just*Me]

HOW do you guys KNOW all this stuff?!!!

I'm definitely gonna stick around and sponge in all this knowledge! [img]http://www.wines.com/ubb2/smile.gif[/img]

(I take it if my long lost bottle of wine is dead, it'll taste badly?)

[Innkeeper]

Could be. Since you are planning to open it for a special occasion, recommend you get a back up. Ask a reputable retailer what you are serving, and you need an approachable bottle of something similar to the one you have. If it works out, open the other one sometime soon after.

[Just*Me]

That's a good idea, I'll get a back up. I suppose the motion of opening the bottle and toasting to a good 5 years is more important than how it will taste. Regardless of the taste 'why' we still have the bottle is what counts!

[This message has been edited by Just*Me (edited 04-27-2006).]