Flooded basement...wine under water

[OHIOSTEVE]

My son went into the basement yesterday to get a couple of bottles of wine to try. he came back up and said there were water marks on the wine rack indicating that the entire bottom row had been under water in the basement. Are the bottles likely contaminated via the corks absorbing water or am I OK?

 

[djsethall]

I think you might be ok, only one way to find out. Open a few and drink em. But what do I know? I'm a beer guy

 

[bluemoose]

The point of the cork is to keep liquid in and air out. We can only hope it would keep liquid out as well. I would try it. Inspect the cork. If your basement is anything like mine the water would not be very clean. It would likely stain the cork. Inspect the cork as you would any other, except look for staining on the top instead of coming from the bottom. If the stain doesn't go through very far you should be drunk within hours. Cheers.

 

[Zwetschgen]

I have heard stories of sunken ships being discovered and amoung the cargo found were cases (or bottles) of wine. They may have had a wax seal I am not sure, but people have definately tried them, it seems to me you'd be fine.

 

[JetSmooth]

Sounds like you've got some drinkin' to do!

 

[gregbathurst]

If the corks can keep the wine in they can keep the water out. As mentioned, wine recovered from shipwrecks is fine, it can sit underwater for years no probs. I think the corks actually keep better underwater, maybe you should store all your wine that way. The film/book whisky galore is about whisky rescued from a shipwreck.