Does wine 'go off?'

Yes, wine can "go off", but it depends on the wine, the conditions its been kept in, the temperature, all kinds of things. best thing to do is open one and taste it. you ll soon know if its "off"

wine can deteriorate over time but again, it depends on the wine. some gets better with age. just because it may not be at its best doesnt neccessarily mean its not drinkable. try it.

Yes, it can 'go off'. How was it stored? Standing, or laying on its side? If it was standing and has been there a while, it's probably no good. The only way I know of to tell for sure is to open it and have a sniff!

Thanks, I have a suspicion that they'll be rank, I'm not sure if 'Hock' was nice to begin with?!

I think this year's resolution should have been to drink more!

Hock's german, and is medium-ish. not a great wine really.

there is only one way to tell an thats to just open it.

I'm surprised at this response Nick. I worked in an hotel for 10 years where red wine was used regularly.<ob> On the odd occassion a bottle could stand for a while at the back of the gantry and then be used when someone noticed it there!

We were never told that it could go off!! (or is it just if it's been left for a very very long time?)

I would just open it like EES and have a taste. We have wine in our cellar that has been sitting there for over 8 years but I know that the reds we have do get better with age.

Once it's opened the oxygen can get at it which essentially turns it to vinegar. Before it's opened the flavours can change - to start with they usually get better but after a while they diminish so it doesn't taste as good. The whole art of storing wine is guessing when it'll be at its best.

i think youre confusing wine being open and going off, and wine not being open and going "off"

wine thats left open for over 24s will start to taste odd, and ultimately will be undrinkable. somethig to do with oxidisation. some wines get better with age, but thats with the cork IN them, not out. cheap wines tend to just be hideous the longer you leave them, but thats not a hard and fast rule, it depends on the wine, as i already said ?