Wine, Food & Drink Q&A

Submit Your Question View More Questions

Wine Still Drinkable Or Not

Hello, I have a bottle of Chateau Prieure- Lichine Grand Cru Classe 1976 Margaux bottle number 042752 is this bottle still drinkable or should I just leave in alone unopened
Answer From Expert Roger Bohmrich MW

I am often asked by customers in our retail operation about lone bottles of older wine which were discovered in a closet or basement, or just kept around for many years. In most cases, the wines were kept for much longer than they should have been, and in poor conditions. My advice is almost always to open the wine. The Prieure Lichine 1976 was at its best a very long time ago; then again, there are always surprises with older wines! By all means, don't wait any longer: stand the bottle upright overnight to settle the sediment, pull the cork, and gently pour a glass. If the color is still reddish and not pale and brown, you just might have something decent.


About Our Expert

Roger has enjoyed a lengthy career in the wine trade as an importer and retailer, and at present he is an educator, speaker and consultant. He set up and managed Millesima USA, a New York merchant affiliated with a leading European company. Previously, he served as senior executive of importers Frederick Wildman & Sons. In recent years, Roger has judged wine competitions in Argentina, Turkey, Portugal, China and the U.S. Roger is one of America's first Masters of Wine.

Visit Roger Bohmrich MW's web site