Virgin Hills replacement for corked bottle....
Posted: Sat Nov 01, 2003 11:56 pm
Had previously posted my displeasure with Virgin Hills for not replacing a corked 1991 Reserve Red that I'd contacted them about > 3 months ago. To my surprise, got a call from the current owner, Michael Hope, long after I'd given up all hope (?) He explained that his staff had put my request in the "too-hard" basket, and he, having been overseas, only got to it recently. Also said that he hadn't bought Virgin Hills as a wine-making company as such, simply purchased some of the previous owner's assets, so did not believe he was under a legal or moral obligation to replace TCA affected bottles from 12 years, and several owners, ago.
However, did offer, as a gesture of good faith, a replacement with a more recent vintage. After some genial negotiating, got the current release Virgin, 1998 (which has had that extraordinary writeup in the Washington Post). So, at long last, a full response & a good replacement from the ONLY winery to date (out of approx 30) which had not come to the party vis-a-vis replacing corked wines. GOOD ON YOU MICHAEL & VIRGIN HILLS!
However, did offer, as a gesture of good faith, a replacement with a more recent vintage. After some genial negotiating, got the current release Virgin, 1998 (which has had that extraordinary writeup in the Washington Post). So, at long last, a full response & a good replacement from the ONLY winery to date (out of approx 30) which had not come to the party vis-a-vis replacing corked wines. GOOD ON YOU MICHAEL & VIRGIN HILLS!