Cork variation - a worked example in eight aged Rieslings

[Jay60A]

It's rare to get such an opportunity but in the last week and a bit (and in the name of science) I have drunk eight bottles of Crawford River Riesling 1999 (three) - 2000 (three) - 2001 (two). These have been cellared with Justerini and Brooks who are one of the top UK wine merchants, in sealed 12-packs. So storage has been the same for all bottles in a case. Of those eight bottles -

+ Two prematurely developed. 1999/2000 (obviously when compared to subsequent bottles) although I admit the developed 1999 was just magnificent!
+ One developing normally but marginally corked. 1999.
+ Four expected development. 2000/2000/2001/2001.
+ One young and amazingly fresh. 1999 ... stunning wine ... has a perfect cork, hard, not moist, came out pristine. It would last to 2019, maybe 2029 under screwcap.

So of the three 1999s one wine has been well developed, one as you'd expect in terms of development, one staggeringly young. From the (top of) the same unopened case. Only variable is the little bit of bark at the top.
Amazing variation and yet it is so apparent when drinking the same wines in a short period. So often we say a wine is over-the-hill but maybe it is just had a dodgy cork?

Again ... a learning experience ... very very enlightening.

Jay

[griff]

Sounds like mid-late 90's Australian cork quality to a T!

cheers

Carl

[RogerPike]

To me it sounds like every wine under cork, from every country and every decade.

Roger

[RogerPike]

Yes, I know that you have a couple tucked away Adrian

Roger

[jeremy]

I suspect the 98 Leo Buring Eden Valley I loved so much recently was prematurely developed. But...it somehow seems wrong to say that as I liked it more than one I tried just three or so months ago which was developing more as expected?

All very interesting to me, thanks Jay et al.

[griff]

To me it sounds like every wine under cork, from every country and every decade.

Roger

Most of my TCA issues have been Australian 90's reds. But then that is the majority of my cellar so there is a little of a selection bias

cheers

Carl

[Andrew H]

To me it sounds like every wine under cork, from every country and every decade.

Roger

very true Roger - I remember being asked by penfolds should grange be cork or screwtop and thinking "sacrilege" but now after a few too many corked wines I think all wines should be!!!
Andrew

[Jay60A]

Update:

+ One pristine 2000. Definitely a few years younger than the others.
+ One quite developed 2000. Noticeably older and honeyed - still delicious and underpinned by minerals though.

For me, the case for screwcaps on whites to age is simply *closed*.

Actually, I think that Penfolds are simply too commercially driven to put it on Grange. There seemed to be a strong push in that direction - the 2004 Special Bins, lots of talk on the 1960's bottlings of Bin 389 (I think) under screwcap. But the US market reacted adversely and they chickened out.

Now Gago talks about the new, magic glass stopper ... well actually why not, has to be better than bits of bark.

You could say I've just become a convert.