Expert: Paul Wagner - 1/7/2008

Question
I have a bottle of unopened wine from Italy. (80 proof) The label reads, Liqueur Strega, Canada Dry corporation, New York, N.Y. The date stamp on it is 02-03-1912.  Also on the top label reads Stabilimento G. Alberti.  How much do you think this bottle of wine is worth?

Answer
Hi Sharon

This isn't a wine--it's a well-known liqueur.  Wine is made only from grapes and yeast.  Strega is a distilled product that is then flavored with herbs and spices.  Wine rarely gets about 15% alcohol...and yours is about 40%!

Distilled spirits like this do not change much in the bottle, for better or for worse, because the alcohol levels are so high.  The good news is that this one should be perfectly good to drink.  The bad news is that it doesn't taste much different from a current bottling from the same company.  As a result, connoisseurs wouldn't pay much more for this bottle.  I would estimate the value of this at around $50-75 at a wine and spirits auction.  

You might find more interest among bottle collectors.  Go to antiquebottles.com and see if anyone there has more interest...they are good people with a lot of good information.

If it were mine, I would open it up on a special occasion with family or special friends and enjoy it.

Sorry I can't give you more exciting news.   Hope you have great 2008.

Paul Wagner