Expert: Paul Wagner - 5/13/2006

Question
I bought 3 bottles of wine at a estate sale, I don't drink and know nothing about wine I just liked them.  The 1st is 1967 Duhr's Moselbluemchen label looks a German city and is in so so condition, the 2nd is dated 1895 but the lable is in very bad shape, I was able to make out Diplome D'Honneer the rest of the label is faded and ripped, it also has what looks like a tin pressed top embossed. The 3rd is dated 1965 Vin Blanc De, Chateau-Grillet nothing special about the bottle, label in good condition and a plastic seal.  Are any of these wines worth my reselling or should I just enjoy my display of them.  Thanks Kim

Answer
Hi Kim:

Wow--this is a wild one.  The first wine is a light fresh wine from Germany, probably a blend of white grapes, that was made to drink relatively young.  Since it is now 40 years old, it is well past its prime, and is probably quite brownish in color, with the fruit all gone. The bottle might get you $10 on ebay...but not the wine.  

The second wine is impossible to identify from what you have written.  Yes, the chateau won an award in 1895...but so did a lot of wineries.  You might be able to look at the cork, and then know at least who made the wine--but that would involve removing the lead capsule.  

The third wine, Chateau Grillet, is the most famous white wine in the Rhone.  I doubt that the wine is still nice, since it is quite old, but the chateau is very famous among wine connoisseurs.  It is made from the Viognier grape. The Viognier grape spread like wildfowl during the 1990s, being planted even in Brazil. However its spiritual home is in the Northern Rhône and specifically in the two small appellations of Condrieu and Château Grillet. The latter owes a great deal of its fame to the fact that it is only one of two single Estate appellations in France.
Grillet has been owned by the Neyret-Gachet family since 1840 - today it Isabelle Baratin who runs it aided by cult Burgundian oneologist Max Leglise The south facing vineyard covers a mere 4 hectares and is situated in a natural amphitheatre nearly 500ft above the Rhône. After being vinified the wines are aged in old wooden casks for 18 months.  The current vintage of this wine sells for about $80 a bottle!

The value of any old wine depends, more than anything else, on the storage conditions that it has endured.  Since we don't know anything about these bottles, the would have little value to a collector.  But the Grillet is at least something that you should try...and maybe in the presence of someone who really knows wine.  

Let me know if you learn any more about the bottles.  I would love to help if I can.

Paul Wagner