Mark Lipton wrote:

>
> 4. What is the best way to preserve an opened bottle of wine? How long
> will it last?
>

There is the story that may merit discussion in the FAQ, that a silver
spoon placed in the neck of an opened bottle of Champagne will keep it
fresh.

I experienced this last month. We have just returned from Europe, having
been there to see the new grandson. One weekend, when Adrian was away at
a Philosophy conference in Leeds, Janet and I, Tammy and the baby,
stayed with Tammy's parents, Michel and Diane. On the Sunday evening,
with another couple coming to dinner, Michel opened a magnum of 1985
Krug - quite a change from the Taittinger Comtes Blanc of the previous
evening - which was not finished. Five days later, we were at their
house again prior to going out to dinner at the Waterside Inn, Bray -
only a few miles away, Michel remembered that he had put the Krug back
in the cellar, with spoon, and fetched it. It had lost a little sparkle,
but was by no means flat, still in fine condition.

Wines with dinner? On the Sunday, it was a light meal, steak with a
variety of vegetable dishes - middle-eastern - followed by fruit and
cheese. Michel opened 2 bottles of 1983 Ch Haut-Brion, showing
considerable variation between the two, and then an 89 D'Yquem.

Michel takes his own wine to the Waterside Inn. On this occasion he took
1978 Roederer Cristal , 89 Clos-des-Mouches, and 82 Vieux Chateau Certan.

(I confess I don't drink wine of this quality every day.)

--brian

--
Wellington, New Zealand

"What's life? Life's easy. A quirk of matter. Nature's way of keeping
meat fresh."