What is the average shelf life of various wines, Zinfandel, Merlot, Lambrusco

My wine usually comes in a can, marked Budweiser, but, I always thought that the older the wine the better.

I guess that would depend on if it's been opened or not?

This has been moved from Health & Wellness to Food & Drink. Curlyben or his wife will be the best ones to answer this question.

Rule of thumb, red wines drink within a year. White wines are good lots longer and increase in value but keep them on their sides and don't drink if the seal/cork is damaged or dried out (or the bottlecap, on my budget)

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Originally Posted by wildandblue

Rule of thumb, red wines drink within a year. White wines are good lots longer and increase in value but keep them on their sides and don't drink if the seal/cork is damaged or dried out (or the bottlecap, on my budget)

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Sorry, but NO.
I was going to give you a reddie for this answer as it is TOTALLY wrong, but I'm feeling pragmatic.


So on to the question in hand.

Safety doesn't really come into it as once a wine is too old to drink it becomes vinegary and sour to the taste. While it won't taste nice it won't do any harm.

Unfortunately there are so many variables involved that is is extremely difficult to offer any concrete advice as to longevity in this case.
It's not only dependent on the colour, style and variety, but mostly the producer, region and purchase price.

Generally the more you pay for a wine the longer it will keep, assuming the correct storage conditions.
Screw cap wines are NOT designed to be kept for any great, length of time, and Lambrusco is best NOT drunk at all.

If you can let us know what the wines you mention are then more indepth advice many be possible.

Lambrusco? No thanks, I'm not hungry. Wildandblue DID have it completely backwards, his rule of thumb shows him to be all thumbs once again, or at least dyslexic. Honest I was stone cold sober and plead absence of malice. Magnanimous of you BEN.