Moe got me thinking about a bottle of Icewine given to me by my father the year it won top awards over in France. It has been sitting in a wine rack since 1989 collecting dust. Wine Somalier and journalist Konrad Edgbick suggested in his book it would last in good stead until 2015.
I wrote to him yesterday about the quality and present market value of the bottle and this is what he said. "Although Inniskillin still has some bottles of its 1989 Vidal Icewine for sale -- they run at about $500 to $550 per half-bottle -- at this time, it is illegal for private citizens to resell wine in Canada."
BTW, I have reassessed the 1989 after some recent tastings and would now suggest it will last much longer that 2015. My current guess is that it will last at least 50 years (i.e., remain stable and drinkable) with significant changes occurring to the taste, giving it a much darker colour, with more raisiny, dried-fig, orange pekoe tea flavours... somewhat like old vintage madeira.
It should continue to rise in value, but until the laws change, you cannot resell it in Canada. (US? UK?...perhaps.)
Cheers,
konrad
So I can't afford to drink this bottle of Icewine nor can I sell it.
What a dilemma.
