Winebid purchase - puncture in capsule of Ridge

[Gary_Ahearn]

@Scott G r u n e r

I thought coravin didn’t punch a hole dead center?

That is correct. If it was off-center, coravin is a possibility. If dead center, it’s not from the coravin.

[Peter_Tryba]

I missed the certainty of the “dead center” claim. If it’s directly, absolutely dead center, then Coravin is out as a contender. Dead center reeks of push pin labeling.

[A_K_a_I_l]

@Gary Ahearn

@Scott G r u n e r

I thought coravin didn’t punch a hole dead center?

That is correct. If it was off-center, coravin is a possibility. If dead center, it’s not from the coravin.

Just used my Coravin tonight. Definitely not a center punch, more off-center.

[KatrinaBI]

@Peter Tryba

I missed the certainty of the “dead center” claim. If it’s directly, absolutely dead center, then Coravin is out as a contender. Dead center reeks of push pin labeling.

It was in the center.

So maybe this isn’t a cautionary tale about the perils of auction buying in the Coravin era, but a cautionary tale about push pin labeling one’s wines in the Coravin era.

[Ian_Dorin]

@ryancurry

I just received magnums of 74 chappellet that have holes in the center of the capsules. Had never seen that before.

I own a mag of this that I know the wine is of 100% provenance. I’ll check it and report back.

[dougwilder]

@Pat Martin

And so it begins… After-market wine buying in the Coravin age.

Glad my cellar is full.

Yes… Who took selfies before smartphones?

[Chadly_S]

@ryancurry

I just received magnums of 74 chappellet that have holes in the center of the capsules. Had never seen that before.

Sorry for the thread drift but I hope you drink those soon (and hope they weren’t compromised). I had an 84 last weekend and it’s solid but fruit is fading fast. No way I would have thought it had ten more years.

Back on topic, I’ve had many Ridge wines from late 90s and early 2000s and never saw any holes.

[Dale_Williams]

@Chadly S

@ryancurry

I just received magnums of 74 chappellet that have holes in the center of the capsules. Had never seen that before.

Sorry for the thread drift but I hope you drink those soon (and hope they weren’t compromised). I had an 84 last weekend and it’s solid but fruit is fading fast. No way I would have thought it had ten more years. .

I have no idea idea of Chappelet wine making in 80s, but there are plenty of 73/74 Napas that are stronger than their brethren from 80s. I’ve had 74 Chappelet in both 750 and mag in last five years. Fine in both, obviously fresher in mag. Had the last mag at my 60th bday in 2010, younger than many “younger” wines. Gilman was there and I think gave a drinking window till 2030.

As to Ridge, I had some (legitimate) 375s of early 90s Ridge wines where the capsules looked almost like foil wrap, but never seen holes. But dead center doesn’t sound like Coravin.

[R_Smith1]

@Dale Williams

@Chadly S

@ryancurry

I just received magnums of 74 chappellet that have holes in the center of the capsules. Had never seen that before.

Sorry for the thread drift but I hope you drink those soon (and hope they weren’t compromised). I had an 84 last weekend and it’s solid but fruit is fading fast. No way I would have thought it had ten more years. .

I have no idea idea of Chappelet wine making in 80s, but there are plenty of 73/74 Napas that are stronger than their brethren from 80s.

I have had the same experience with countless CA wines. I would take a 1974 or 1978 Cabernet over a 1985 or 1987 any day.

[Sean_Devaney]

I’ve opened 100+ bottles from 1976 on, never had any capsuls with a hole in them. The ullage on the 375s in my experience have always been low neck. All the 375. 750 and 1500 has the same size necks and use the same corks.

As far as holes in the top of capsuls I recall it was quite common for 70’s and 80’s wines and was told by a retailer at the time it was to show if the wine had leaked through the cork. I have never read anywhere to confirm this story for ever it’s worth.

My guess is that unless the bottle showed a very low ullage, and taking a sample out of a 375 would show, the hole in the foil was “innocent” and not any sign of fraud.

[B_Buzzini]

All my pre 90 ca wines have a hole(s) on the capsule. But I’ve never seen a ridge with one?

[Pat_Martin]

@KatrinaBI

So maybe this isn’t a cautionary tale about the perils of auction buying in the Coravin era, but a cautionary tale about push pin labeling one’s wines in the Coravin era.

Whether or not this was Coravined (new verb) or Pungoed (another one) or push-pinned, we now are in an era where we have to wonder/worry/hesitate about bottles with punctured capsules.

[R_Roberts]

@KatrinaBI

However, the winebid guy assured me that Ridge put these in the capsules in case of seepage. Not having had Ridge wines before, and thinking that this looked like an “aftermarket poke”, I was skeptical. So he went off to find another Ridge bottle from inventory to show me. But he came back empty handed saying he couldn’t find any after all.

Sounds like a case of mansplaining. (Urban Dictionary: mansplain)

[KatrinaBI]

@Pat Martin

@KatrinaBI

So maybe this isn’t a cautionary tale about the perils of auction buying in the Coravin era, but a cautionary tale about push pin labeling one’s wines in the Coravin era.

Whether or not this was Coravined (new verb) or Pungoed (another one) or push-pinned, we now are in an era where we have to wonder/worry/hesitate about bottles with punctured capsules.

Yes, that is true. And worry even more about those w/o capsules where the puncture is not so apparent. Good thing I generally do like young wines a lot

[KatrinaBI]

@Rama Roberts

@KatrinaBI

However, the winebid guy assured me that Ridge put these in the capsules in case of seepage. Not having had Ridge wines before, and thinking that this looked like an “aftermarket poke”, I was skeptical. So he went off to find another Ridge bottle from inventory to show me. But he came back empty handed saying he couldn’t find any after all.

Sounds like a case of mansplaining. (Urban Dictionary: mansplain)

That definition made me laugh out loud. I think I’d rather have a handy word like that (sadly, all too handy) to add to my vocab than a Ridge in my cellar. Where has that word been all my life?

[alan_weinberg]

you will know when a bottle has been Pungoed–the hole is sizeable.

[Scott_G_r_u_n_e_r]

@dougwilder

@Pat Martin

And so it begins… After-market wine buying in the Coravin age.

Glad my cellar is full.

Yes… Who took selfies before smartphones?

Not sure if this was meant ironic… but I have been with my wife on every vacation since 2000, with film cameras even and decent results. People would walk by and ask us if we wanted them to take a picture of us, but we knew what we wanted. I do hate the term selfie though.

/end thread drift.

[Lonny_Isenberg]

I’ve got Ridge Lytton 1999, 2000, 2001 and 2002 in my cellar, all bought on release. The only bottles
that have a hole in the capsule are the 2002’s.

[Craig_G]

I’m quite sure I’ve seen this in various Ridge ATP wines. The newer bottles have patterned capsules with no hole, but older ones had plain silver capsules and I think they may have the holes. I found one 2001 near the front of the cellar with a hole.

[Leonard_Maran]

I’ve heard some folderol from Winebid of late. Glad you noticed it and refused it. They put it in the next auction cycle. Though I also have to admit that when they failed to update their 2001 & 2002 California Cabernet vintages in accordance with the new retrospective tasting by Parker ten years out I got some fine wine and so far I have no complaints. The wines have been in fine fettle.