I bought this 1989 Veuve Clicquot La Grande Dame for a wedding gift, but decided to keep it after deciding it was too expensive of a gift (I paid around $125 as I recall). Saved it for years waiting for the right occasion. Finally opened it and… it was well past it’s prime. Sour and fruitless. Some interesting nuttiness, but not an enjoyable drink.

So deflating. One of the prizes of my cellar and I could hardly finish it.

Lesson: Err on the side of drinking early rather than late.  If it’s too young and you really want to try it again in its prime, you can always find it and buy another bottle (though it may cost a pretty penny).  But if it’s past its prime, no amount of money will allow you to drink it younger (unless you have a DeLorean and a flux capacitor).