White wine shelf life?

lostinrates

We just found what should have been a lovely sauvignon blanc at the back of a wine cupboard, which when opened was well past its best. We also found some chablis bottled in 98? Worth trying or likely to me in a dish where both white wine and vingar are called for?:o

MoradoJess

I didn't think wine went off at all
I'd wait for someone else to answer though.

bryanb

The wine boxes we buy say that the contents will last 3 months after unsealing. Trouble is we seem to finish it in a week!

lostinrates

MoradoJess wrote: »

I didn't think wine went off at all
I'd wait for someone else to answer though.

Things do have optimum laying down times, as I understand it, some being better after time, some not. I just...don't know what they are whith white wines

carolinosourus

It depends on the wine, ie the grape variety, though I have no idea what the ideal times are! Have you googled laying down white wine? Might be worth a try.

Fire_Fox

Wine will go off if the cork is allowed to dry out and air or microbes can get in. That's why most wine is screw cap nowadays, or sometimes those plastic corks as they are more reliable than 'proper' cork. But if wine is off you will know about it, so a taste test is the way forward!! :beer:

lostinrates

Thanks! Tasting may have to be the way to go!

Carolinosaurus, I'm googling now, but MSEers are often quicker than google...:) I'm still looking on google though

carolinosourus

lostinrates wrote: »

MSEers are often quicker than google...:)

I think this should be the new MSE byline! I admit, it's really helpful having such a wealth of knowledge in one place, if you ask a question there's generally someone around who can answer it

buglawton

Red keeps much longer than white and all should be kept cool, say below 15 deg C.

A colleague once has a wine evening offering his collection brought back from France in previous years - none of the whites were really drinkable any more.

greenbee

Fire_Fox wrote: »

Wine will go off if the cork is allowed to dry out and air or microbes can get in. That's why most wine is screw cap nowadays, or sometimes those plastic corks as they are more reliable than 'proper' cork. But if wine is off you will know about it, so a taste test is the way forward!! :beer:

Which is why you should always store wine on its side (and the screw tops and plastic corks haven't really taken off in mainstream wine production yet, although the new world, NZ in particular, is using them a lot - which I guess is good for the spanish cork oak forests, even if not for the wine!)

Have a look at these vintage charts for ideas as to when things should be drunk by!

laurel7172

The nose test. If it's off, and it does go off, don't even ruin your casserole with it. It makes quite effective loo cleaner, though.