# I was just given a fifteen-year-old bottle of white zinfandel. **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [October 25, 2005, 9:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-was-just-given-a-fifteen-year-old-bottle-of-white-zinfandel/327792 "2005-10-25T09:25:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Amp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Amp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amp)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2005, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-was-just-given-a-fifteen-year-old-bottle-of-white-zinfandel/327792/41 "2005-10-26T00:40:48Z")
I can’t believe I am on the edge of my seat waiting for her next post. ---
**Author:** ![FisherQueen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/58f4c7/32.png) [@FisherQueen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FisherQueen)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2005, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-was-just-given-a-fifteen-year-old-bottle-of-white-zinfandel/327792/42 "2005-10-26T00:49:11Z")
I have to say, I’m astounded by the results of this experiment. I was expecting something really toxic, something horrible. But it’s… not horrible. The taste has lost a lot of the sweetness it once had, but it’s still a bit sweet. The flavor’s very concentrated, but I can taste the Zinfandel flavor. There’s a sourness there with the sweetness, but they balance each other rather effectively. The wine is indeed surprisingly full-bodied… I don’t know what it tasted like in its prime, but I wouldn’t normally expect a pink wine to be so thick. I wouldn’t care to drink much of it straight. But I wouldn’t call it vinegar… or if it is, it’s much better vinegar than I ever buy at the grocery. I didn’t flinch, or cringe, and I took three sips to sort out what I was tasting, with no sense of dread as I sipped. I’m not going to finish my little glass. But I think it might make very nice salad dressing. I have to say, I’m really astonished by this turn of events. If it weren’t for my Doper pride, I might never have opened it. Now I know. And knowing is half the battle. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2005, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-was-just-given-a-fifteen-year-old-bottle-of-white-zinfandel/327792/43 "2005-10-26T00:53:24Z")
> [@SkipMagic](#): > > Not that I, um… don’t enjoy macaroni from the blue box every now and then. (Which is perfectly complimented by a jug of white zin.) Shouldn’t that be a box rather than a jug? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![John\_F](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/43a26b/32.png) [@John\_F](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_F)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2005, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-was-just-given-a-fifteen-year-old-bottle-of-white-zinfandel/327792/44 "2005-10-26T01:01:35Z")
> [@FisherQueen](#): > > I have to say, I’m astounded by the results of this experiment. I was expecting something really toxic, something horrible. But it’s… not horrible. > > I wouldn’t care to drink much of it straight. But I wouldn’t call it vinegar… > > . That along with your observation of the cork and color of the wine… I think your wine is in some stage of oxidation (as is normal) but not acetic spoilage because that would be noticed by the presence of vinegar bacteria. Thanks for taking one for the team. 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2005, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-was-just-given-a-fifteen-year-old-bottle-of-white-zinfandel/327792/45 "2005-10-26T01:16:28Z")
I, for one, will be eyeballing the Cincinnati news in the morning for reports of a giant, mutant, fanged and clawed monster terrorizing the city. ---
**Author:** ![psycat90](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@psycat90](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psycat90)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2005, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-was-just-given-a-fifteen-year-old-bottle-of-white-zinfandel/327792/46 "2005-10-26T01:19:33Z")
Blargh. Just reading that made me wince. Awesome descriptions! Like John F said, thanks for the experiment. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2005, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-was-just-given-a-fifteen-year-old-bottle-of-white-zinfandel/327792/47 "2005-10-26T01:50:17Z")
> [@John F](#): > > Thanks for taking one for the team. 🆒 [This](http://www.uselessjunk.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=2619&mode=nested&order=0&thold=-1) is taking one for the team. But **FisherQueen** gets close. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2005, 4:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-was-just-given-a-fifteen-year-old-bottle-of-white-zinfandel/327792/48 "2005-10-26T04:54:23Z")
> [@FisherQueen](#): > > And knowing is half the battle. In my weariness I thought you said ‘Knowing is half the **bottle**.’ ---
**Author:** ![Hunter\_Hawk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/50afbb/32.png) [@Hunter\_Hawk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hunter_Hawk)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2005, 7:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-was-just-given-a-fifteen-year-old-bottle-of-white-zinfandel/327792/49 "2005-10-26T07:12:53Z")
> [@buttonjockey308](#): > > Now I, OTOH have just purchased a 5 year old tawny port that I plan to stow and forget about for close to that number of years, and by then, oh it should be so very good. It’s my understanding that tawny port doesn’t bottle-age. You might want to check into this before putting the bottle into storage. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-was-just-given-a-fifteen-year-old-bottle-of-white-zinfandel/327792.md?page=2)