How to spot wine gone bad

2003 Cristobal 1492 Oak Reserve Malbec - $13 Argentina. The color of this wine is inky black and purple. It has aromas of alcohol, smoke, and what I can best describe as a flat fruit smell. On the palate the wine is tart, too acidic, and dry.

When I got this bottle home I realized it was an '03, which for a cheap Malbec is a bit too old of a vintage, this bottle of wine is almost 6 years old. Most all Malbecs from Argentina in the $10 -$15 range are from the '05 vintage or later, the problem with this wine being from '03 is that it was most likely released in '05 and hit the shelves no later than '06. I just bought this wine in the second week of February '09, which means this wine has been on the shelf for about 3 years. The wine had turned, it had died, and it tasted like crap. You don't want to buy a wine that has been sitting on a shelf for 3 years because a shelf in a retail store is not an ideal place to store wine. If you store wine for 3 years and expect it to be drinkable, it must be stored in a cool dark place, otherwise the wine will go bad. Wine is a perishable good like lettuce and it has a shelf life. The major difference between wine and lettuce is that wine if stored properly will last several years and sometimes develop better more complex flavors as it ages. If not stored properly it will go bad just like lettuce. I recommend buying wines that are no more than 2 years from their release date, the younger the better. If you can't tell how long the wine has been on the shelf try to ask an employee, if there is no one to ask and you think the wine is too old, don't buy it.

I would try this wine again but only a newer vintage, I shouldn't have bought this bottle in the first place, it was too old. I poured this wine down the drain.