How to Open an Old Vintage?

If you decide to uncork a bottle of old vintage wine that has been aging in your cellar for years, we recommend following a few guidelines to fully enjoy its flavors and aromas. Several factors need to be considered, including sediment, cork extraction, serving temperature, and oxygen exposure.

Managing Sediment and Cellar Conditions

Older wines are very delicate, so it’s important to handle them as little as possible. Sediment will form in the bottle over time. To help it settle, we recommend standing the bottle upright for at least 24 hours before opening. Keep the bottle in the cellar during this period to prevent it from being exposed to higher temperatures too soon, which could prematurely warm the wine. On the day of tasting, bring the wine to the desired serving temperature. Older vintages should not be served either too cold or too warm; for a classic Burgundy, for instance, serving at around 17°C (63°F) is ideal.

Preparing the Bottle for Cork Extraction

Opening an old vintage requires great care. Patience and slowness are crucial, especially because the cork may have become fragile over time. Wipe the bottle with a cloth to remove dust. Carefully cut the foil below the neck ring so that the wine will not come into contact with the metal when poured. Using a foil cutter is ideal if you have one. If mold appears, wipe it off with a damp cloth before proceeding to extract the cork. Most corkscrews pierce the cork, which can lead to breaking or crumbling it if it is fragile. Therefore, we recommend using a two-blade corkscrew.

Using the Two-Blade Corkscrew

The two-blade corkscrew consists of a handle with two differently sized blades. The blades slide between the cork and the neck with a back-and-forth motion, moving from left to right. Insert the longer blade first until you reach the end of the cork, then insert the shorter blade. Once both blades are in place, gently twist to extract the cork. After removing the cork, use a clean cloth to wipe the inside of the neck to remove any sediment trapped between the cork and the glass.

Serving

Until the bottle is opened, it’s impossible to know if the wine needs some oxygen. A wine that has been confined in the bottle for many years might emit unpleasant reduction odors (lack of oxygen) upon opening. It’s best to taste it before serving. If it seems to be well-developed, pour it directly into the glass. If you detect any off-putting smells, decant the wine, but don’t wait too long to serve it as some aromas are fleeting and can quickly dissipate upon contact with oxygen.