Old wine (newbie)

Since wine does not support the growth of pathogens, it is perfectly safe to drink. Whatever alcohol it had after fermentation completed is still there. Drink up!

BTW, be sure to rack it carefully away from its sediment into another carboy before bottling. Also, be sure to bottle it rather than simply siphoning some out occasionally to drink. Once it gets airspace above it the wine will quickly begin to spoil.

Tom S

Very safe. I often leave wine a full year in a carboy before I even think about bottling. The alcohol in your wine will keep any nasty bacteria or other "bugs" from fouling the wine. If the container the wine was in was air tight then all of the alcohol should be there.

I'm curious how you got "golden" colour on blackcurrant - do you mean similar colour to tawny port? Gold as a colour descriptor typically applies to white wines.

Pp

That is definitely not true. The alcohol has to be much higher than table wine levels (~13%) to provide such protection from spoilage organisms.

The only real protection is to keep the wine adequately sulfited and with minimal headspace. Spoilage organisms need air to survive/propagate - and they don't need very much.

Tom S

Tom, I think he was referring to pathogens or organisms that will make the wine unsafe to drink. There are no known pathogens that will live in wine. But you are right, there are things that can ruin the taste that can get into it.

Fred, you said that it was a golden color, that may indicate oxidation. Does it taste more like port or sherry. Both can stand oxidation. I have had one wine oxidize into port and another oxidize into sherry when I had forgotten them for a long time. Either way, you might consider fortifying it to make it more aperitif like.

Ray

I think we're speaking at cross purposes. Pathogens are bad bugs that can make you sick or kill you. He asked a question that I inferred was addressed to the _safety_ of drinking his wine. It is certainly safe to drink - no matter what it tastes like.

IOW, there are certainly things that can grow in wine that will render it unpalatable - but they won't _hurt_ you.

Tom S

Granted. We agree.

Ray

G'day Bri,

A few of the replies seem to have wandered a bit - if you feel you need a summary, I'm going to provide it:

-yes your wine is safe to drink

-if the wine tastes good, whether there is any oxidation, spoilage etc. is immaterial.

Enjoy!

M Baker

Hi,

Thanks for the advice. I think i will drink and enjoy

Many thanks to all

You are correct sir! Another thing that can wreck a wine's flavour is a moldy cork. I always boil my corks now, but I've lost the odd bottle to "corking" in the past.

Murray