1985 White Zinfandel

[lizmurphy]

Can a 1985 white zinfandel still be good to drink? Was stored in a basement cabinet, cool area, upright position, for 20 years.

[cstr]

It's like Kool Ade to begin with, I'd pop it and give it a sniff first.

[dd992emo]

Use it for target practice...

[PolarBear]

ROTFLMAO, pretty much my thoughts with any vintage/vintner.

[cookie monster]

It just so happens that this weekend we discovered a bottle of 1995 white zinfandel in the back of my friends' wine cabinet. Being up for an experiment, we stuck it in the fridge and opened it a couple hours later. It was . . . different. Color had changed to a yellowy-orange, kind of like sauternes, and it was syrupy and thick. Tasted like a not very good dessert wine. I wouldn't try it again, but it was interesting.

[wineman3]

on this I would bet any sum of money that it is BAD again any sum of course you would have to fly me there if a bet was to ensue.

[Gussie Finknottle]

The only way is to open it and taste it.

Chances are that it won't be to your taste. These wines were not meant for aging.

[wew]

Sure give it a taste. Great way to learn, bit like a treasure hunt. Just don't feed it to the newts.

[redmeatfan]

good Cali Chard does hold that long for the most part.

[wew]

That's nice

[invinotheresverde]

Chardonnay and white zin are two very different beasts, no?

Also, I'd debate that. I think almost all CA chardonnay drinks better young. There's just not enough acid in most of them to keep the wines balanced and age-worthy.

[zin1953]

"for the most part"??? Even for Grands Crus de Bourgogne and Grands Crus Chablis, two decades is pushing it! It's been my experience that, for California, I can name the 20+ year old Chardonnays I tasted that were any good on one hand . . .

[Chinon00]

Being that the stuff is pretty innocuous in character to begin with, I don't think that its flavor could have suffered much. Pop it open and try it.

[wew]

No, even if it once was, no.