Message in the DIAM Number?

[Marshall_Manning]

@Buyer beware - Ducru Beaucaillou 1988

I noticed on an auction site here in France that Ducru Beaucaillou 1988 is still being sold and bought, at very high prices (around 100€). I was served one by a friend a few weeks back - like all the others I’ve tried, it was undrinkable. You probably know, but in case you don’t, Ducru had a problem with their cellar, from around 88 to I believe 94. They had treated the ceiling with a wood-stain product, which tainted the wine, producing an effect similar to TCA. The 88 vintage was particularl…

The story I heard was that it was a barrel rack sealer that was being used in France by a number of wineries and that it actually wasn’t TCA, but smelled very similar. Some '90s Tempiers also had this, but unlike TCA this chemical tends to decrease with airing.