December 2006
If a bottle of wine has passed its prime, lacks freshness and you just won't enjoy drinking it as much as if it were younger, you can still use it as a cheaper alternative in a sauce. To be clear, this refers to a wine which has been cellared just a little too long or is left over (and properly stored) wine from a day or so ago. This by no means applies to a corked or spoiled wine or one which you may find unpalatable for whatever reason. Wines fade and oxidize even in a sealed bottle with extended cellaring. Determining when too much of those changes have occurred is a matter of personal preference and taste. When a wine becomes oxidized, it can take on stale aromas described as 'stale bread', 'vinegary' or even 'gamey'. These wines lack acidity and may seem flabby. A cooked wine (having been exposed to excessive heat) may have muted or dull aromas or even smell caramelized. They may exhibit anything from a brownish tinge around the edges to completely brown color. They may also lack acidity and may seem flabby. A corked wine smells foul and musty and cannot be salvaged.
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