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Cork on old bottles of wine
Posted: Wed Apr 21, 2004 5:28 pm
by Guest
Can somebody help me out regarding corks on old bottles, say >15 years old? When I opened an old bottle recently, I've noticed the wine has stained almost all the way through the cork. The wine in question has been reported by this forum to be drinking at its peak but this particular bottle actually tasted pretty flat to me. Is it normal for the cork in old bottles to be stained all the way to the top? Will be very interested to hear people's opinions. Thanks.
KK
Posted: Thu Apr 22, 2004 7:32 am
by Guest
Depends entirely on the particular cork. I've had bottles of that age where the cork is quite hard and impervious and only the bottom 2-3 millimetres is stained but I've also had corks like you describe where the cork is quite soft has absorbed lots of wine and allowed plenty to seep past.
This is one of the other reasons (other than TCA taint) that corks are under siege as a closure. It is a lottery how your bottle will open up.
Because of the variability factor, no two old bottles, or even sometimes younger bottles, will look the same. Bloody disappointing when you've cellared them well and long.
Brian