Nasty cork!! (I can't believe this wine is even drinkable!)

WINE TALK
1

So I finally unpacked my cases from Garagiste, now that I have the new 58-bottle cooler for ‘lights and whites’. One of the bottles, I noticed, a 2002 Milz Laurentiushof Trittenheimer Leiterchen Riesling Spätlese, had a wet label, then I noticed the cork was protuding upward a bit. I contacted Garagiste to inform them I needed a replacement or refund, and they granted a refund.

I put it in the refrigerator so I could have it later, just to see if it was good or not. When I was fussing with the foil, it seemed to squish on the cork - some nasty sounds coming from this cork area, that’s for sure. I got the foil off, and the cork was wet, black, and moldy. When putting the corkscrew in, I could tell the cork was soft, completely wet, and likely the wine was ruined.

I got the cork off (picture below), and poured a small glass, afraid to even put it to my nose for fear of vomiting. I smelled some petrol - wow, that’s a good sign! It was faint, however, so the chances are still good this wine is vinegar, with a hint of petrol, I suppose.

I took a sip, and it’s PERFECT! WTF?

How can a bottle with a cork like that be any good at all?

Garagiste did put this in the descriptor: “This library parcel comes with the finest provenance available - complete with a full 1/8 inch of black mold between the capsule and cork”. Still, not only the mold, but the moisture, the soaked, soft cork…amazing this wine is as good as it is!

2

common with Rieslings … although I am surprised an '02 was already like that.

Glad it turned out well.

3

Todd, I could be wrong about this, but my feeling is that most German rieslings go into the bottle with pretty high free So2 levels, so much so that I can taste it in many of the wines I’ve had over the years. This is a just a theory of mine, but with many going to bottle with residual sugar, it would take a fare bit to keep them stable and clean for the long term. Anyone, please feel free to bash me for this theory. [berserker.gif]

4

I think the petrol aroma in aged riesling is distinct from the So2. The petrol aromas arent sulfury at all. They are actually a pretty unique smell and “petrol” is actually a kind of crappy descriptor but since it doesnt smell like anything else humans know about, its all we got.

5

FWIW, I wasn’t refering to the petrol aromas, as I believe that is a classic varietal characteristic of the riesling grape. What I’m refering to is something I can taste. I also don’t mean sulfury as stinky, more like the sulfur you taste on sulfured, dried fruit-eg, dried mangos. You guys know what I’m taking about?

6

My theory is that you can never know how a wine is going to drink (ie leakers/low-fill/nasty-cork drinking great & perfectly fine looking cork drinking like crap). I’ve seen a lot of mold on “library releases” from Burgundy, Loire, and Germany. I think it has to do with high humidity in the cellars and I’d take it as a good sign rather than a bad (hey, the rep from Leroy agreed with me).

7

I wouldn’t mind the mold, it’s that the cork was also wet, mushy, and was protuding from the neck a bit

8

I just (tonight) drank a 1983 Von Simmern Kabinett that had a very low fill, signs of seepage, and the cork came out in pieces (wet)… and yet, the wine was not only alive but quite vibrant–tasted much younger than its 26 years. The wine wasn’t terrific, but its faults were not at all due to its condition, and it was a tasty drink.

It seems to me that unlike Pinot, for example, Riesling is a very hearty grape that withstands heat, storage issues, etc. better than most wine.

9

Todd,

I remember opening a bottle of 1918 Bordeaux sometime in the 70s. (Can’t remember the Chateau)
Had about an inch of ullage.
I removed the foil and noticed that there was a 1/8" layer of dried up wine covering the cork.
While scraping away this crud, the cork fell into the bottle.
It had shrunk over the years and was super loose.
After I fished out this cork, the wine was poured.
I didn’t have much hope.

The wine was perfect!
The layer of dried up wine sludge had provided the seal which preserved this wine!

TTT

10

So, Todd… since the wine was perfect after all, did you let Garagiste know so they could retract your refund???

11

Todd,
I encountered the mushy cork thing and had the wine turn out very good. How was it wrt its maturity? I think everytime I have had it happen on a young wine, I felt the wine was advanced but, I could be wanting myself to believe that.

12

Many German Rieslings get a nasty, black slime on top of the cork and under the capsule. Just use a wet paper towel and clean it all off before you yank the sucker. It’s no problem.

13

What I told them is that the wine label and bottle was wet, the cork was protuding, and that it leaked. All were true, and still are!

14

C’mon, its gotta’ be full disclosure, baby.

15

I already let them know - chill out…