"Initial tastes of the aged champagne were described as containing “animal notes” and “wet hair”. But after wine experts exposed the champagne to oxygen by giving it the traditional swirl and allowing it to breathe, the taste altered dramatically for the better. It was then described as: “empyreumatic, grilled, spicy, smoky, and leathery, together with fruity and floral notes,” according to the paper."
The "Best By" date was about 165 years ago! The sad soul of the champagne escaping the dungeon of its bottle!
Given that ships went down from time to time, and alcohol has been a favorite cargo for a long, long time, I’d venture to guess that there are lots more to be found. :^)
Ah, but it just says, “best if used by”, doesn’t really have an expiration date. ;^) [adapted from Peg Bundy]