Your spreadsheet contains "Ridgeview Pinot Noir 2021" and "Ridgeview Pinot Noir, 2021". Both appear to describe the same wine, but one row has a tasting note and the other has two bottles in the cooler. Delete one row and you may delete the explanation for those bottles.
Make a backup before touching the rows
Save a dated copy of the file before sorting, joining or deleting anything. Keep the original long enough to compare the result. If your spreadsheet has formulas, preserve a copy that has not been recalculated or reformatted.
Prove that two rows describe the same wine
Compare producer, exact cuvée, vintage, bottle size and closure when it matters. Check the label photo or receipt for uncertain fields. A similar name may be a second wine from the same producer, and a different bottle size should not disappear into a standard-bottle count.
Use a temporary comparison key such as producer + cuvée + vintage + size. Keep the original names visible until you have reviewed the matches. A key is a sorting aid, not permission to merge every row that matches automatically.
Reconcile the facts before the name
Rows being compared: Producer / cuvée / vintage / size: Locations in row A: Locations in row B: Quantity in row A: Quantity in row B: Notes and receipts to preserve: Final wine name: Final quantity check:
If row A has four bottles in Rack 1 and row B has two in the cooler, the merged record has six bottles in two locations. Do not put six in Rack 1 just because it is the first row. A location error is a new data error created during cleanup.
Combine tasting notes as dated history
Keep each note with its date and bottle context. Write "Opened May 4, 2025: ..." and "Opened July 12, 2025: ..." rather than joining the sentences into one undated paragraph. If a note belongs to a specific location or purchase, retain that link.
Keep receipts, price and purchase dates if they answer a different question from the wine identity. You can merge the inventory identity while preserving separate purchase events.
Verify the merged row in the room
After the merge, search the physical shelves and add the quantities by location. Compare that total with the merged quantity. Check one or two notes and the date fields before removing the duplicate row from the working file.
If the file is too inconsistent to reconcile safely, keep both rows and add a review flag. A visible uncertainty is easier to fix than a clean-looking row with missing history. The count mismatch guide covers the physical check.