How long does Red Wine keep for?

Question

How long does red wine keep for when stored correctly? Am thinking of buying a bottle of 30 year old wine as a gift and know nothing about wines! How much should I expect to pay for a bottle of red wine from 1978 in Australia. Thanks for your help!

Answer 1

If the wine has been stored properly over the last 30 years, it should be excellant.  I am not a fan of Australia wines, but I sure would like to have a bit of your '78.

Answer 2

Average red wine can keep for 1~5 years,usually less than 10 years,rarely more than 20 years.So I'm afraid that the wine you said may not taste well.

Answer 3

The price could vary greatly depending on the quality of the wine.

Red wine is only drinkable for 10yrs. Vintage wine is cellered but never drunken, it would taste quite like poison after so many years. Its not meant to be drunk.

Answer 4

Properly stored and handled the right wines will store for decades.

Others are bottled to be drunk straight away.

Answer 5

Aging potential of red from a superlative vintage (78 was a so so year, I think) from a world class winery or winemaker (who is your's?) can be a very, very long time.  30 years would not be too long.  But as to whether you should buy that wine, please consider who you are buying it for and who  you are buying it from.  Second question first, if you're buying it retail, I would not.  At a minimum, if you buy it from a retail, that bottle has changed hands 3 times.  Too many hands and too much distance covered in between.  First question, would the recipient truly appreciate the nuances of a 30 year old bottle or would be just a novel gift?  Would your recipient drink it now or store longer?  How much should you pay?  Its a crapshoot.  A friend gave me a 73 or 74 Hearty Burgundy which I would not have given a nickel for had I bought it.  A quality 78 - my guess, a couple hundred bucks.  You should query or contact wine spectator.  Good luck.

Answer 6

There are different types of wine. Table wine you drink within 3 years. seller wines that can lay  for 10 years or so and the vintage wines like ports and alike. These will lay for a very long time and still be drink able. Your wine, I don't know, there are many factors to look at. Type of fruit, where it was sellered, how it was sellered, and more. Try going to a few wine tastings and learn a little first. That will help more than anything...........Good luck with your journey.....RoyM.....

Answer 7

If the wine was stored properly for its entire life, it could last close to 100 years.  Examine the bottle and make sure there is no evidence of it having leaked.  Also, if the level of the wine is more than 0.5 cm below the slim part of the bottle neck, don't buy it.  I recently bought and drank a bottle of 1981 Stag's Leap Cabernet Sauvignon and it was heavenly.  I expect you would have to pay a minimum of $50 to get a 1978 in good condition, however, without knowing what wine you are going to buy, I can't give you an accurate estimate on what you should be willing to pay.  The 1981 Stag's Leap I mentioned cost me $81 US that included the price and the domestic shipping costs (I live in the US)

Answer 8

5 years