Questions about Ghemme

[Robert Vodicka]

I may have a chance to buy some old bottles of Ghemme that I think have been well stored:

Cantina Sociale di Sizzano e Ghemme (1961)

Dellavalle (1974)

Never had Ghemme before and only know what the Oxford Companion entry says: Piemonte, Nebbiolo,Bonarda and Vespolina.

I like Barolo and Barbaresco with some age.

What are the chance that either of these bottles will be wine and not vinegar?

I'd appreciate thoughts from people with more knowledge and/or experience.

 

[MLipton]

originally posted by Robert Vodicka:
Questions about GhemmeI may have a chance to buy some old bottles of Ghemme that I think have been well stored:

Cantina Sociale di Sizzano e Ghemme (1961)

Dellavalle (1974)

Never had Ghemme before and only know what the Oxford Companion entry says: Piemonte, Nebbiolo,Bonarda and Vespolina.

I like Barolo and Barbaresco with some age.

What are the chance that either of these bottles will be wine and not vinegar?

Close to 100%, I'd venture, unless you've lost the integrity of the corks. Acetobacter needs oxygen (and lots of it) to operate, so your wines may be old and tired, in need of artificial resuscitation, in fact, but still wine and not vinegar.

Mark Lipton