Should the world's oldest wine bottle be opened?

[jillio]

700+ year old bottle of wine? Someone needs to check their math. (post 14).

 

[mbrek]

^^^Oh, yeah... big time! Try 1661 years.

 

[kokonut]

I say open it, yeah, if nothing more than curiosity and experimentation. But to drink, no way. It will be "bad" by now.

Yeah, well a 1700 (edited: it's really 1661 years old, but ah, close enufff) year old wine versus Jacque Cousteau's 2200 year wine he drank. Granted, bottled wine preserved beneath the very cool ocean waters played a role. To be "drinkable" might be the very question people are curious about at this point.

 

[jillio]

Nice backpedal.

 

[posts from hell]

Besides, do a quick test and see if acetobacter is present in the wine, then you know it's turned to vinegar.

acetobacter is present in all the wine we drink, just a fyi.

 

[jillio]

acetobacter is present in all the wine we drink, just a fyi.

Right. It is not the presence but the levels that are important.

 

[Beowulf]

Gimme that bottle. I want to christen a boat. :P

 

[jillio]

Gimme that bottle. I want to christen a boat. :P

It would probably eat right through the paint!

 

[Beowulf]

It would probably eat right through the paint!

It'll take care of them barnacles, though.

 

[sequoias]

Will it blend?

 

[whatdidyousay!]

It'll take care of them barnacles, though.

They'll have a horrible hangover the next day!

 

[kokonut]

acetobacter is present in all the wine we drink, just a fyi.

Yep. Gotta watch out for that runaway acetobacter that could ruin good a wine.

 

[Dixie]

I would leave it sealed. Opening it would cause it to disintegrate due to the shock of the air, also, it would not be fit to drink at all. One question is, how do you analyze it without breaking the seal?

 

[posts from hell]

I would leave it sealed. Opening it would cause it to disintegrate due to the shock of the air, also, it would not be fit to drink at all. One question is, how do you analyze it without breaking the seal?

its been done - read the article.

They can use a spectrometer too.

 

[posts from hell]

Yep. Gotta watch out for that runaway acetobacter that could ruin good a wine.

Ive drank quite a few beer with acetobacter, interesting stuff.

 

[kokonut]

I would leave it sealed. Opening it would cause it to disintegrate due to the shock of the air, also, it would not be fit to drink at all. One question is, how do you analyze it without breaking the seal?

In an evacuated chamber.

 

[kokonut]

Ive drank quite a few beer with acetobacter, interesting stuff.

Yeah, but not so good with the wine. Strangely, I'm in the mood for Clausen pickles.

 

[cmdrwhitewolf]

Well, worst comes to worst, maybe someone will have some mighty old vinegar to sell?

 

[Daredevel7]

I read one of the comments in the article:

"Classic British tabloid "journalism." Nothing in the article backs up the headline. No one interviewed said anything about actually considering opening the bottle."

I thought it was hilarious and, apparently, it's not just an American problem.

 

[Royale]

I think It would lose its sentimental and monetary value very much if it is opened.

So it better stays unopened.