I have a few bottles of a 2015 Bedrock petite sirah. The last time I opened one (last night) the cork crumbled badly and I had to use a variety of techniques to get it out. (Yes, I should have purchased a Durand.). Even so, lots of cork fell into the bottle.
In January, I plan to take one of these bottles to a local restaurant. I am thinking I should remove the cork and replace it with a used cork of more recent vintage. The capsule is not an issue, because Bedrocks don’t have capsules.
Any better ideas?
how is the humidity where you live?
High. As in Portland, Oregon. Moss hangs off of my nose.
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Changing the cork is actually a terrible idea. Use a Durand and have a funnel with filter handy. Double decant prior to heading out and then and only then put a different cork in its place.
Not sure I understand. I am proposing to remove the cork and replacing it with a new cork, all just before we go to the restaurant. Are you saying replace the cork or not replace the cork? You seem to be saying both.
Yes do that…I do it all the time when I pre open a bottle before going out if the cork is not solid. Just make sure the restaurant is ok with bringing in an opened bottle.
The restaurant will never know the difference. Bedrocks don’t have capsules, and I even have some used Bedrock corks lying around, on their way to the recycling bin. One small point: the year on the cork will not match the year on the bottle. But I can’t believe the server will notice.
So you’re going to push the cork all the way in?
Yes. I will try to make it look as original as possible. Why not?
Who cares? I take double decanted open bottles to restaurants all the time.
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Or just buy a Durand and take it with you to the restaurant!
Sometimes it’s illegal. I’ve had restaurants not let me bring in open bottles before(Ca.).
This. Some states have laws prohibiting opened bottles from being brought into a restaurant. Checking ahead of time is a good idea.
Oh - just before is basically what I mean as well. Just said double decant so that you have clean wine (no cork particles) after removing the potentially poor cork.
Have the new cork fully flush to the bottle and nobody will know.
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Pretty sure that’s an old wives tale that some restaurants may buy into. Like all the restaurants in Indiana say corkage is illegal, but it’s not in any code that you can find.
Distributors tell restaurants lies about BYO.
According to the Wine Spectator (link here), there are at least four states where it’s illegal to bring your own wine – open or not: Colorado, Ohio, Arizona and New Mexico.
In this 2016 Berserkers thread, people stated definitively that it’s illegal to bring an open bottle to a restaurant in California. But Xavier Lavoipierre, Greg Tatar and Andy Velibil (posts 6, 7, 9 and 17) pretty definitively shot down that notion.
I double decant and use a Vacu-Vin stopper. I’ve had too much trouble with somms who shake up the sediment opening the bottle—one put the bottle between his thighs to open it.