I have a number of bottles of wine that I've inherited from my deceased parents estate that are from the 60's, 70's and early 80's. I'm not sure if they're worth anything & was wondering if you could guide me to someone who is trustworthy who can tell me what they're worth if anything? Thank you.
Answer From Expert Roger Bohmrich MW
To give you useful advice, it would be helpful to know how many bottles there are in all and the types of wines. If the number is, say, one or two dozen, then you may not need to go about the evaluation process in a rigorous way, provided, of course, that the collection does not include some of the world's great classics! On the other hand, quite often wines not really destined for cellaring are kept too long, and then the question is if they are actually drinkable. With wines of this age, storage conditions are always an issue. Were the wines acquired early after release by your parents and held in cool, stable, dark conditions every since? That is a paramount concern. If the list is short, you could post it again here for a quick assessment. However, if you are speaking of case lots of many different wines, then you should seek a professional appraisal. There are many companies offering such services, but standards and expertise vary widely. You can pursue the Internet route by contacting WineBid.com as many have for smaller lots especially. For a large collection, well-known auction houses such as Sotheby's and Christie's are very professional. Acker Merrall is also an option (ackerwines.com).
