Any wine experts about?

djcla

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Looking for some inspiration on a 40th birthday gift.. So was thinking a nice bottle of red from 1975 somewhere around £50 to £75. Any suggestions welcome :)
 
Not a wine expert - just been drinking the stuff for about 45 years.

I recommend dropping the idea of purchasing one bottle and buy six bottles of good quality wine at about £12 a bottle. Need not be the same wine, make a nice wide choice of whatever you think the birthday boy/girl will enjoy. :thumbsup:
 
Er... Think I better clarify:

Bear in mind a 40-year old red wine does not travel well and the sediment will cloud the wine. The bottle will require about 2 months of standing still to let the sediment settle completely and the wine become totally clear.

Don't forget to stand the bottle upright for a few days before opening. Also (as you probably know) best to carefully decant it after the sediment had completely settled and then let it breathe for about 30 minutes before drinking.

IMO all this stuff is not worth it and strikes me as being a little pretentious. Best to buy several bottles of younger but just as tasty wine and not have to bother with all the above BS.
 
I'd say the risk of it being off due to incorrect storage or it being corked when opened also makes it a risky buy. Perhaps instead look at a nice vintage champagne, or a nice dessert wine, or buy something younger but in your budget range, so a highly regarded Bordeaux or whatever from a highly regarded vineyard/winery.
 
If the recipient enjoys some fine wines why not buy them membership to The Wine Society and add some money onto their account so they can make a choice themselves
 
There is a place not far from where my son plays rugby http://www.tastefinewines.co.uk/verify.php sells some fantastic wines for less than £20 a bottle. The guy behind counter told me that the really dear wines are way too much hassle to drink unless you have a butler to look after them for you.
 
The guy behind counter told me that the really dear wines are way too much hassle to drink unless you have a butler to look after them for you.

I would find a new wine shop ;)

I reckon you would need to spend more than £75 on a quality wine from 1975 - I had a 1978 Burgundy a few years ago and while it was not corked or anything the taste was not as good as a newer wine of similar value, it had lost a lot of flavour. Some wines can easily last and be drinkable after lots of years others not so much.
 
Assuming we're talking about 1975, that was a good vintage for Port - you should be able to pick up a decent bottle around the top-end of your price range. IMO that would be a better bet than a normal wine. Like all vintage ports it would need to be decanted, but could make a great gift.
 
Thanks, I'm wondering if I should look at newer bottles now of good quality..
 

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