I decided from time to time to write notes about the wine that I love and study. Last time I wrote, and today I will tell you about the myths around old wine.

People have two common myths about wine. Some believe that wine turns into vinegar over time, while others believe that it only gets better over the years.

Does wine turn into vinegar over time?

Wine that you buy in a store or restaurant cannot turn into vinegar. In production, sulfur dioxide was added to it, it is also a food additive E220 - this substance stops the fermentation process, sterilizes the wine. Wine in a bottle is "dead".

Different wines add different amounts of dioxide. It is most often added to sweet and strong ones, because its potential to sour is higher (bacteria love sugar). Less added to organic and biodynamic wines - because of this, they are stored less, they like coolness and do not like sunlight. There is no wine at all without dioxide, because small amounts of it are produced by bacteria during the fermentation process.

In general, sulfur dioxide in large quantities is harmful to health. But large quantities are more than 300 grams per liter, usually dozens of times less are added.

Despite the fact that wine is treated with sulfur dioxide in production, in rare cases, they can turn sour. For example, due to the fact that the cork of the bottle dried up, and through the formed tiny channel bacteria from the air got into the bottle, which ruined the wine. But this happens infrequently, usually with old wine and only 1-2% of the time.

Homemade wine can also be turned into vinegar, which is produced in an artisanal way, because no one processes it. But you are unlikely to taste such a wine (and thank God). And of course, an open bottle spoils easily, it generally lasts 1-2 days.

Will the wine get better over the years?

Some wines do get better over the years - but not all.

Wine contains many complex organic molecules that affect taste and aroma. Some got into the wine from soil, air and vine - with grape juice, others were formed during fermentation, and others were absorbed from wood during aging in a barrel. After the wine has been treated with sulfur dioxide, poured into bottles and corked, then new molecules will not appear in it, the old ones can only disintegrate.

The maturation of wine is the breakdown of complex molecules into new ones. As a result, wine changes its taste over the years. If the taste gets more interesting, then the wine has aging potential. This wine gets better over the years.

Most wines have no aging potential, they will not get better over the years, and may even get worse. The potential is higher for saturated red wines that have been kept in the barrel for a long time - they have more complex molecules that can "properly" disintegrate.

It is better to drink inexpensive wine from the supermarket right away, it is useless to age it. A simple Bordeaux or Burgundy wine can be aged for 3-5, less often 10-15 years. Good wines age for 20-30 years.

At the same time, it cannot be said that the older a wine with potential, the better it is. It gains flavor only up to a certain point, and after the decay is already too significant, and the wine deteriorates. This boundary of taste is determined by wine critics based on their experience. Don't just keep the occasional wine at home if you don't know what you are doing.

A friend says that 1982 "Chateau Margot" is the best. How so?

Wine has good years and bad years (they are called vintages). In a good year, the weather was good for the grapes to ripen, and the wine turned out to be very tasty. For example, for Domaine Pomerol in Bordeaux, 1989 and 1990 were good vintages. And 1991 was an openly disastrous year, many wineries simply did not pour wine this year.

When people buy and drink old wine, they can be vintage-oriented. They know 2010 is a terrific year for Graves and that Northern California should be taken in 2013.

Accordingly, someone can pay thousands of euros for a bottle of their favorite wine of good vintage, if they understand. Many wine lovers chase such bottles at auctions. But all this requires special knowledge.

A keen flair for wine, an understanding of vintages and the potential of aging can turn winemakers and critics into superheroes. The main wine critic Robert Parker became famous after he called the Bordeaux wines of 1982, in spite of other critics - and he was right. Or Max Schubert, for example, who made Australian wine famous. Since the 1950s, he has been making inferior dry sire wines at Penfolds. The production was about to close, but Schubert continued to experiment and age the wine. In 2008, for the Syrah from Penfolds it turned out to be an amazing vintage - the wine collected 100-point marks from leading critics. Today a bottle of Penfolds Grande 2008 costs about a thousand dollars.

I myself am still poorly versed in vintages and potentials, but I can assure you that aged wines differ in taste even for an inexperienced person. But for this you need to sit down and taste two wines at once, for example 2017 and 2005. Experienced hobbyists can understand vintage immediately, without comparison. But here we need to drink (I don’t know how to rewrite the observation about wine).

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So, in a nutshell:

• Wine in a sealed bottle will not turn into vinegar over the years.
• Old wine itself is no better than new, and maybe even worse.
• Wine has aging potential.
• Red wines aged in cask for at least 12 months are potential. All other wines are best drunk at once.
• The aging potential must be determined by the wine critic. Don't buy wine for potential unless you know where to find information about it.
• Wine has a good year and a bad year (vintage). Good vintage wines can cost several times more than bad vintage wines.
• A young wine of a good vintage will be better than an aged wine of a bad vintage.
• To better understand the vintages, it is better to attend a tasting at a wine club or go to a winery, where they will be treated to wine of different years.

When mankind became aware of the properties of grapes, it immediately began to invent a miraculous drink - wine. As you know, this is one of the oldest drinks invented by people. Modern archaeologists constantly manage to make new discoveries, find ancient objects with nectar content all over the world. For example, in China, wine was found 1300 BC, in Iran - more than 5000 years ago, in Armenia - more than 4000 years. There is no doubt that winemaking is one of the most ancient spheres of human life.

Very often there were only small drops of the oldest drinks, which would not even be enough to taste, and not just to get drunk. Very often, but not always. For example, wines sank about 800 amphorae off the coast of France. On average, they contained 30 liters. drink. Their age is almost 2.5 thousand years. But rice wine from China, which scientists give an age of more than two thousand years, managed to find as many as five liters. However, no one had a desire to try it, because it was stored in a bronze vessel, which, most likely, had time to oxidize, which would surely ruin the drink. Today, it is this wine that is considered the oldest wine in the world.

In 1867, another unique discovery was made in Germany near the city of Speyer - archaeologists found a bottle of wine dated 325 BC. There were several bottles, but only one of them survived. If we are talking about drinks of the last millennium, then the oldest wine is considered to be produced in 1727. A bottle of this rare drink has been stored for several centuries in the city of Bremen, Germany.

Spanish wine, called "Jerez de la Fronteira" - the harvest of 1775, is kept in the Museum "Massandra" in the Crimea. In 2001, one of the bottles of this drink was priced at $ 50,000 at Sotheby's. A unique rarity "Chateau d'Iquem" - the harvest of 1787, was sold in 2006 for 90 thousand dollars, due to which the wine has become both one of the oldest on Earth and one of the most expensive alcoholic beverages.

However, unfortunately, hardly anyone can drink the oldest wine, since it reaches us only as a dry residue, but, of course, it is proof of one thing - humanity has long since realized that the truth lies in wine! As for the liquid itself, even the slightest remnants reached only in the performance of the ancient Chinese, who were about three thousand years old.

At the present time, the oldest known wine is considered to be rice wine, the age of which reaches 9 thousand years. It was found in China and also contained the remains of fruit and honey.

Another old wine was recently discovered by archaeologists during excavations of a settlement in the mountains of northern Iran. The drink, aged for seven thousand years, or rather its petrified yellowish remains, was found among the ruins of a house at the bottom of an earthen vessel. Archaeologists suggest that the beginning of the modern wine industry comes from wild grapes that grew in distant times in the highlands of Western Asia.

However, Italians, Cypriots and Greeks do not want to lose the "palm". Research has revealed that there were remnants of crushed grapes used to make wine or juice in Greece. According to the researchers, the found 2460 grape seeds and 300 empty grapes were 6.5 thousand years old. Little was left to do, proof was needed that the grape seeds found were nothing more than a waste of the wine-making process.

In 1980, during excavations in China (Xinyan), another most ancient wine was found, dating back to 1300 BC. Of the "modern" wines, the oldest, obviously, can be considered the Johannesburg wine of 1648. A bottle of this wine was bought at an auction in Germany (Wiesbaden) in 1981, its cost was 19720 DM.

In Yalta, in the association "Massandra", the only copy of the Spanish wine bottled in 1775 - "Jerez de la Frontera", has been preserved. Here, in Yalta, in the enoteca VNII "Magarach" there is the most ancient Russian wine, bottled in 1836 - "Muscat pink Magarach".

• The best examples of world winemaking are presented
• Collectible varieties - available in stores
• Masterpieces of the Old and New World
• Suitable for gifts on a special occasion
• Volumes from 100 ml to 6 liters

Elite wines are the best representatives of the wine family from around the world. They are produced on farms that have won their authority over the centuries. The title "elite" is given primarily to wines of the highest quality, which have undergone rigorous selection and numerous tastings. Elite wine is a great idea for a non-standard gift to colleagues, bosses, or a loved one. We are sure that such a gift is pleasant to receive and give.

Assortment of elite wines

In WineStyle store you can buy elite wines not only from recognized wine countries - France, Italy, Spain, but also discover new flavors by trying the best wines from Austria, Hungary and Chile.

The most expensive wines in the world are usually very old wines that have been aged for hundreds of years, like the Château Lafite-Rothschild of 1869, sold at auction for $ 232.7 thousand. Or it could be a rare version of wine, released in a limited edition, like 1945 Romanee Conti of which only 600 bottles were produced.

The world's most expensive wine can also be bought for charitable purposes, like the 1992 Screaming Eagle, which sold for half a million dollars in 2008 (the usual price for a bottle is about $ 80,000). To buy an elite wine means to join the caste of real connoisseurs and collectors of wines, to feel the incomparable pleasure of owning a rare thing.

Passion for collection wines is worthy of respect, and we are ready to support you in your desire to drink only the best, special wine.

Elite wine - price in WineStyle

The name of the category speaks for itself - this section contains the best of the best, wines from producers with a well-deserved reputation. The price of such wines cannot be low - the cost of elite wines in WineStyle stores starts from 10002 rubles. The most expensive wines in our store are represented by the Romanee Conti brand.

1. Shipwrecked 1907 Heidsieck & Co Monopole Champagne - the most expensive wine in the world. It was intended for the Russian Emperor Nicholas II. But during transportation in 1917, the ship was sunk by a German submarine. Only in 1998 the surviving bottles were raised from the bottom of the Gulf of Finland. Now they are selling for $ 275,000 apiece.

2. 1787 Chateau Lafite - this wine has already deteriorated, but it is still very expensive ($ 160,000 per bottle) and prestigious. It's all about the initials "Th.J." belonging to Thomas Jefferson. The fighter for US independence acquired Chateau Lafite during a trip to France, where his initials were put on the labels.

3. Château Mouton-Rothschild 1945 - the cost of one bottle is $ 114,614. The high price is explained by the preparation in the most successful vintner (the year of grape ripening) of the 20th century, which fell in 1941. It is this wine that is accepted as the standard, it can be called the most delicious in the world.

4. Screaming Eagle 1992 - the price is $ 80,000 per bottle. Wine from the Californian Napa Valley is famous for its rich fruity taste, rich texture and long aftertaste.

5. A bottle of Massandra sherry from 1775 - the legendary wine of the Russian Empire was sold at Sotheby’s auction for $ 43,500 per bottle. The imperial seal is applied on the labels. This is the oldest wine preserved to this day.

6. 1951 Penfolds Grange Hermitage - the wine was released by the Australian winemaker Max Schubert. There are only 160 bottles in the world, selling for $ 38,000. The drink was created as a competitor to Bordeaux wines.

7. Cheval Blanc 1947 - for the first time the general public learned about this wine from the cartoon "Ratatouille". Experts call it the most festive drink of the 20th century. One bottle costs $ 33,781.

8. Montrachet Domaine de la Romanée Conti 1978 - the most expensive French wine. Seven of his bottles sold for $ 23,929 apiece.

9. Burgundy DRC Romanée Conti 1934 - this $ 20,145 wine impressed the tasters with its aromatic bouquet. It is considered the best wine for romantic get-togethers.

Winemaking is a fairly ancient technology for processing grapes and turning them into one of the most popular and beloved drinks. It is known that wine was made in Ancient Egypt about 3 thousand years BC. But which wine is considered the oldest in the world, as well as famous and expensive today?

In the article:

The oldest wines in the world that have not turned into vinegar

Today there is the concept of "elite wine". These include varieties made from the finest grapes in farms that have perfected their skills in growing sun berries and processing them into the "drink of the gods" for centuries. These types of wines are usually chosen from a large number of those presented for tasting, as they have an unearthly taste and aroma.

Aged wines are also highly valued, that is, those that have a long aging period. Due to this, under the correct storage conditions, the wine improves its characteristics. In order to create a masterpiece, today it is not enough just to implement some kind of wine processing technology, but you need to approach the matter creatively and from a scientific point of view.

According to experts, wines made before 1700 are not suitable for consumption today, as they are most often converted into wine vinegar. But there are still worthy old drinks, from which connoisseurs get real pleasure, trying an unusual taste and discovering a wonderful aroma.

Jerez de la Fronteira 1775: $ 50,000

Jerez de la Fronteira in 1775 at the Wine Museum in Crimea

Jerez de la Fronteira is the pearl of the collection of the Crimean Wine Museum in Massandra. Made from grapes from 1775, it has some interesting historical highlights. So, it is known that Khrushchev, the leader of the USSR, in 1964 was allowed to open one of the bottles for tasting. Those lucky enough to taste the drink spoke of its excellent taste. It is also a historical fact that a bottle of Jerez de la Fronteira was put up at Sotheby's in the early nineties, and it was purchased by an anonymous buyer for $ 50,000. This is not the last time, since the drink was exported out of the country 2 more times, but since permission of the President of Ukraine.

Chateau Lafite Rothschild 1784: $ 160,000

Chateau Lafite Rothschild 1784 and 1787

It is impossible not to mention the "Chateau Lafite Rothschild". A bottle of this wine once belonged to Thomas Jefferson, who was the third president of the United States. And today it is in the Rothschild collection, consisting of vintage wines in the amount of up to fifty bottles. This wine was made in 1787, and the whole set will be very expensive, if only this bottle of wine is estimated at almost $ 160 thousand.

Chateau d'Yquem 1787: $ 90,000

Chateau d'Yquem 1787

The most expensive sweet white wine is also known. This is "Chateau d'Yquem", which for many years has been an adornment of the collection of the "Antique" company, as the rarest item. But then, at the beginning of the XXI century, it was sold for $ 90 thousand to an anonymous collector from the United States. According to him, the wine of 1787 will remain intact, which means there is a chance that someday it will appear at auction again.

Muscat pink Magarach 1836

Muscat pink Magarach

These are the qualities that the Crimean wine “Rose Muscat Magarach” possesses, stored in the cellars of the VNII “Magarach” wine cellar, which is located not far from Yalta. This wine from the grape harvest of 1836 is in the Guinness Book of Records as the oldest wine made in Russia. Today there are three bottles of this drink.

Rudesheimer Apostelwein (draft)

Rudesheimer Apostelwein

The oldest cask wine in the world can be considered "Rudesheimer Apostelwein", the production of which dates back to 1727. It is kept in the wine cellar of one of the Bremen restaurant. There are twelve barrels of drink kept here - in honor of the apostles of Jesus Christ. And it is very interesting that "Rudesheimer Apostelwein" is kept in a vessel with a capacity of 3 thousand liters and has the name "Barrel of Judas". This wine is not for sale, it is presented as a gift to prominent politicians and representatives of royal dynasties. But the fence is made very rarely - the last one was in 1950. To prevent the wine from spoiling, instead of what was taken, new wine is added, but only from the best harvest of recent years. Thus, the unsurpassed taste of the drink is preserved.

The world's most expensive wines

It is believed that the aging process of wine is one of the stages that improve its quality, therefore expensive wines, the names of which will be presented below, also have a rather long shelf life. Although there are exceptions to the rule.

Screaming Eagle 1992: $ 500,000

The most expensive wine, the bottle of which was auctioned for half a million dollars, is the Screaming Eagle. Made from the best grapes of the early 90s of the XX century, it surprises with its taste, where the taste of the grapes is set off by fruity notes. And the very elegant purple color of the wine makes it more noble.

Château Cheval Blanc 1947: $ 300,000

Château cheval blanc

In second place is the Château Cheval Blanc wine. A bottle of this was sold at a Geneva auction. We can safely say that this is the best wine in the world, since not only age, but at its base are berries of 1947, but also reputation at the highest level. It is considered by many to be the best wine ever produced in the Bordeaux province of France. It was purchased for more than $ 300 thousand. Its shelf life can reach 100 years, all the same the wine will be gorgeous. So prepared.

Château Lafite 1980: $ 300,000

Jefferson's Château Lafite wine, which we have already mentioned, is not only one of the oldest, but also in the top five in value. Back in the 80s of the twentieth century, M. Forbes bought it. And although it is no longer worth consuming today, it is unique, with the initials of the third President of the United States on the bottle. And the amount spent for it at the current exchange rate is more than 300,000.

Heidsieck 1907: $ 275,000

The history of the Heidsieck drink, which belonged to the collection of the last Russian tsar, is amazing. But it was lost because the ship that was carrying the drink was sunk. It was only at the end of the last century that wine was found under the wreck of a sunken ship. This collection sold for $ 275,000 per bottle, although there was no certainty about the quality of the wine from the 1907 harvest.

Château Lafite 1869: $ 230,000

In fourth place in terms of value - "Château Lafite". It was planned to sell the wine made from grapes harvested in 1869 for $ 8 thousand, but at the auction it was bought by a collector from Asia for more than $ 230 thousand, since this drink is considered a luxury item in Asian countries and has a corresponding price there.

Romanée Conti 1945: $ 124,000

Romanée Conti is an expensive red wine made from grapes that were harvested in 1945 in the best vineyard in France. In total, for certain reasons, only 600 bottles were produced. The euphoria of the end of the war, the high quality of the drink, which has an excellent reputation, as well as the small amount of the product, made it possible to sell the collection at a price of almost $ 124,000 per bottle.

Chateau d'Yquem 1811: $ 117,000

Chateau d'Yquem

According to experts, thanks to the amazing harvest of 1811, the best white wines in history were produced. This explains their fabulous cost. So, "Chateau d'Iquem" of this crop was bought by sommelier K. Vannek, for $ 117 thousand.

Château d'Yquem 1787: $ 100,000

Château d'Yquem

The honorable eighth place in value is, again, "Château d'Yquem", made from the 1787 harvest. This white wine was sold for $ 100 thousand to a private collection of an American resident. This bottle was carefully transported across the ocean to the lucky owner.

Massandra 1775: $ 44,000

Massandra

For many Crimeans, Massandra wine is the best wine in the world. And it is difficult to disagree with this, because the very nature of the Crimea contributes to the amazing quality of the sun berry, and the winemaking tradition goes back many centuries. Therefore, it is not at all surprising that relatively recently, a bottle of this drink from the 1775 harvest was sold for almost $ 44,000. Since the wine is more than 200 years old, nothing can be said about the taste of the drink., but the fact that the wine is rare is no doubt.

Royal DeMaria 2000: $ 30,000

In the early 2000s, the Royal DeMaria wine was bought for $ 30,000. Therefore, it took tenth place on this list. An interesting drink is the technology of its production - the grapes are frozen on the vine before fermentation. Therefore, the drink is also called "ice wine".
Wine is a drink with a history dating back centuries, a wide variety of tastes, aromas, varieties, types, and so on. And, as we can see, its price depends on many factors, the most important of which is its age. But at the same time, it is worth remembering that too much it can bring harm to the body, therefore, in everything you need to know when to stop.