I have 2 bottles of champagne that have laid on the bookcase for a number of years and wondered if there is any value and if so where to sell them?
Krug 163 edition
Don Perignon 1996
I'm sure there are some experts on here to give guidance
I am sure they have some value; unlikely to be for drinking, though, at both seem to have been kept at room temperature and in a fairly dry environment.
Pity as 2 very nice champagnes. The Dom Perignon can be from different cuvées (oenotheque, brut, Plenitude...).
'Against stupidity, the gods themselves struggle in vain' - Schiller.
As above, even if kept on side - the variations in temperature, including some probably quite high summer temps, will have probably rendered them undrinkable.
Try them yourself, but I wouldn't chance selling.
Were they ever in direct sunshine? Have they been in their cases? If no and yes, you might still get some pleasure from drinking them.
Good example of why you need a lot of reassurance before buying aged champagne. And even then Krug is kinda challenging for a lot of people.
Thanks for the replies
They have always been in there boxes and never in direct sunlight
Shaded from light is good (not essential if away from direct sunlight or rosé champagne that are in clear bottles: protecting the wine from UV is the reason bottles are dark green), but it's a shame such expensive bottles (even if purchased when first available) where not better stored.
'Against stupidity, the gods themselves struggle in vain' - Schiller.
As others have said they won't be great now.
Should be stored at constant temperature around 7°C with stable humidity of 70%
Under normal conditions champagne doesn’t keep
Take them to a nice restaurant and pay the corkage on them for some top flexing.
Strawpedo
This.Originally Posted by adrianw
In our house it's normally consumed within one day of purchase.
Best Regards - Peter
I'd hate to be with you when you're on your own.
An excellent idea. I will do that with our remaining bottle of 1996 DP.
Although that will require a thread - “what watch to wear when drinking DP?”
Shame. I inherited a jeroboam of Lanson champagne from the mid 90’s, kept in a cellar for a lot of that time but also spent a few years under the stairs. Sounds like it might be drain cleaner now then.
Chill it down and give it a go at the next gathering that warrants such a large bottle.............. BUT - you're gonna need a load of decent bottles on standby in case !
Yes it would be a shame if the comment about champagne not keeping was correct. It is a rather sweeping comment and in many instances will be completely incorrect!
Even NV champagne will benefit from keeping a few years before drinking. Providing it has been correctly stored.
I do like the odd bottle of Dom Perignon when there is occasion to celebrate, and I had previously kept a bottle of 92 Dom Perignon - in fairly good conditions, but it too was all but undrinkable on opening.
Although I generally keep about a case worth of champagne and a couple of cases of red wine stored at any given time, I don’t keep much expensive champagne very long these days, with the exception of a few choice 2008 champagne bottles, which for me is the best tasting year I’ve tried in decades.
It's just a matter of time...
Worry not. I’ll drink them.
"Bite my shiny metal ass."
- Bender Bending Rodríguez
If you are not sure about the condition, send them to an auction like Wine Auctioneer.
They will not get retail money but will do well, 1996 Dom Perignon is one of their strongest vintages, and if they had been kept in perfect storage conditions, it would have many years ahead of it.
Krug will always fetch good money at auction and no comeback on you.
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Was wondering same. We have a bottle of Armand De Brignac Ace Of Spades Brut Gold Champagne 75cl Gift Boxed,
It’s about nine years old but has just been stored on its side in its box in the study.
Might give it a try at Christmas
Last edited by craig1912; 27th November 2023 at 23:06.
There was an article in the Guardian the other day about champagne from a wreck that sank in 1850 being drinkable.
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And the bottom of the Baltic is exactly where we should all be storing our champagne, not on display in centrally heated living rooms.
It might have gone a bit darker, and lost it's lightness of flavour but won't be drain cleaner. As long as the cork is ok and it still has a bit of fizz it will be ok.
My wife's family comes from Champagne and makes the stuff we've had loads stored in the garage for years, maybe not at its best but quite drinkable. My wife's mother actually likes it like that!
I don’t think Nando’s charges corkage.
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