Expert: Paul Wagner - 10/29/2007

Question
I have a bottle that belongs to my 87 year old father-in-law.It was given to him as a present from a friend who was a serious wine collector about 50 years ago. It is filled with liquid and the top is sealed with wax. It has a label on it that says 1820. Below this it says Brandy. There are no other marks on the bottle to identify it. Do you have any idea of the value?

Answer
Hi Karen

I am sorry to tell you that we find these all over the place.  They are reproductions, not really brandy from 1820.  One way to be sure is that most of the people making brandy in those days were calling it Cognac, not brandy.  They are a fun gift, but not really in the category of great Cognac.  

The 1820 is a lovely date, but certainly doesn't refer to when the stuff was put in the bottle, or when the grapes were harvested. I would estimate that this is a bottle from the 1960s, full of relatively inexpensive brandy.  I don't it's work more than about $35-50 on the open market.

It is illegal for private individuals to sell alcohol in the USA, so you would have to work through a retail shop or auctioneer...and I don't think you would have much to show for it at the end.

Sorry to be the bearer of such sad news.  

Paul Wagner