Old wine, old wine. The issue rarely arises in our home, but it happened a short while ago and I was forced to throw it out! Blasphemy, I know. I couldn't help it, I did try a sip just in case it could be salvaged, but down the drain it went.

I suppose this can happen every now and then. A lonely bottle of Savignon Blanc gets pushed to the back of the fridge and forgotten. Or perhaps a post-party Merlot gets left out, open, or just hung out on the counter far too long to consider palatable. These things do happen even to the most dedicated drinkers, we mustn't be to hard on ourselves.

Then of course, there's the horrible (and rare) occasion when a brand new bottle simply stinks.

All is not lost, my friends. As long as your favorite (or not so favorite) bottle of liquid encouragement isn't growing fur or smelling like roadkill, you still have options. Be gone remorse!

Here is what I've found:

1. Cook With It (obviously).

The more I spoke about this with friends and family I found that there was a general consensus that you couldn't cook with wine. I'm sure Julia Child had something to do with this nonsense, as much as I love(d) her I do disagree on some things. 

Tests have shown that as long as your boiling, braising, or otherwise reducing the liquid, the quality of wine isn't important. So next time you're cooking down mushrroms or onions try an on-it's-way-to-vinegar white wine, you won't be sorry.

2. Make Red Wine Vinegar

There are two different types of red wine: the kind you buy at the store and the kind that will blow your mind and save you money. Making your own red wine vinegar is one of those common sense things that we should all do; but I'll be honest I had no idea it was this simple.

A short one minute video explains everything.

3. Bathe In It

No, I am not delusional or steering you down the wrong path. It's called vinotherapy and it is a great way to use leftover wine. If you're one of those people that needs a celebrity endorsement you'll be happy to know that Teri Hatcher pours a bottle if vino into her bath daily. Apparently the wine, stick with red, softens the skin, firms it, and adds elasticity. You can thank the antioxidants.

4. Use It As A Dye

We've all spent our fair share of time trying to remove red wine stains from clothes and table clothes, and usually to no avail, so why not use it as a dye intentionally? It's genius, I know.

The dye works best with linen, cotton, or any other type of clothing that could use an earth, natural vibe. The color is similar to the popular tea-dyed look and fades more with time.

5. Compost!

I truly love composting. If every composted the world would truly be a better place, it sort of connects you with the Earth and her natural processes. Wine that we deem bad is simply delicious for a compost pile, especially new ones. Think of it as a "kick-start" for the bacteria that's needed to break down the ingredients. 

Got any more ideas? Leave us a comment!