What is the Ullage?

[TimB]

I think I can see it

Also please let me know if you see any concerns about this bottle. I plan to drink it in the next couple months.

[Julian_Marshall]

I would describe it as “into neck”. If that was all I would not be worried as the wine is 40 years old this year. What is more concerning however is the apparent bulging of the cork at the top of the capsule, which could mean that it was poorly cellared at one point. But this could be an optical illusion or just the angle of the photo. If it does turn out to be a bulging cork and it’s a bottle you are thinking about buying, personally I wouldn’t, bearing in mind the cost.

[Brent_C_l_a_y_t_o_n]

I think the bulge is within the norm for a wine of that age, but you won’t know until you open it!

At this point I’d keep the bottle upright until you’re ready to drink it.

This is a great bottle of wine, enjoy!

[Ian_Sutton]

I’d call it a slightly more cautious VTS (very top shoulder)

[John_Morris]

The good news: That is a very dense, concentrated wine, so more able to stand up to abuse than some.

[HoosJustinG]

I’d call that somewhere between TS and VTS based on this: https://www.sothebys.com/content/dam/sothebys/PDFs/Wine/L16712_COS.pdf … which to me means that it’s “TS” since anything below VTS is not VTS.

If I purchased a wine that expensive and it was listed as “VTS” and showed up like that, I might hee and haw about it a little bit. But I’ve also had plenty of wines with TS ullage that showed fantastically well. I don’t think it’s a sign of bad storage at all for a 40 year old bottle. Enjoy!

[J_Rock]

I’d say VTS.

[Eric_Ifune]

This wine has a reputation for increased ullage. I read somewhere that the estate thinks it may have been a glass problem. I still have a few of these and most are at that level.

[TimB]

Thanks guys my screen might not be the greatest as I literally can’t see where the wine starts. I noticed the “bulge” but can’t figure out if it’s the angle or not.

[Kirk.Grant]

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I think I can see it

Also please let me know if you see any concerns about this bottle. I plan to drink it in the next couple months.

I see this as high shoulder/low neck ullage. Given that the wine is 40 years old, it seems to me that this bottle has had very good storage. I hope this is everything you hope it will be.

[Chuck_Miller]

I would describe it as “into neck”. If that was all I would not be worried as the wine is 40 years old this year. What is more concerning however is the apparent bulging of the cork at the top of the capsule, which could mean that it was poorly cellared at one point. But this could be an optical illusion or just the angle of the photo. If it does turn out to be a bulging cork and it’s a bottle you are thinking about buying, personally I wouldn’t, bearing in mind the cost.

It is definitely not ‘into the neck’, not even base neck. VTS is correct, and that ullage is normal for a wine of this age. Agree that the bulge might be a sign, but I wouldn’t be too concerned.

[Jim_Stewart]

Ululation practice

[Dan_Kravitz]

I had this wine last December, posted on it. IIRC, ullage was about the same, between vts and ts. A little concern about the bulge, hard to say from the photo. My bottle was very great, fully up to the reputation. I would hope and expect that your will also meet expectations.

Dan Kravitz

[John_Morris]

This wine has a reputation for increased ullage. I read somewhere that the estate thinks it may have been a glass problem. I still have a few of these and most are at that level.

A glass problem?? The dimensions of the neck weren’t right so the cork fit wasn’t ideal? The glass is porous?

[Mark_Golodetz]

Hard to under why a production line would have any variability. Makes sense with blown glass, but not this.

[Jeff_Leve]

This wine has a reputation for increased ullage. I read somewhere that the estate thinks it may have been a glass problem. I still have a few of these and most are at that level.

Unless a proper orders a special bottle, (engraved, embossed, long neck) a bottle is a bottle. FWIW, there are numerous bottles with fills in the low neck and better of 82 Mouton. The production was quite high.

[Jeff_Leve]

Tim…, Is this a half bottle ?

[TimB]

It’s a full bottle I can see where it says 750 ml on the side, also was listed as full. I thought it looked a bit like a half too but i guess it’s just the angle.

Just a little background, I was looking to buy this as I was born in 82 so I found it at retail and asked to see a picture. I was having a hard time seeing the fill level so I posted here. I had also noticed that there seemed to be a bulge in the capsule so after some of you guys noticed it I decided to ask for another picture. In the meantime someone else came along and purchased it this evening. No big deal plenty of other bottles out there, hence why I was being cautious. Thanks anyways!

[P_Bennett]

Looks like it’s from wine watch. If you ever need anything looked at in person let me know as I’m very close to the store

[Eric_Ifune]

I was told this batch of glass didn’t have perfectly cylindrical necks. I’ve numerous 1982’s still left. The Moutons routinely have the lowest levels.