TCA in my favorite Willamette vly wine

I have no idea how many bottles of wine from this winery I have drunk, and do not even want to know. Tonight though, I popped the cork on a 2007 pinot gris, and found my first corked bottle. WOW, I am so disappointed that after probably 50 bottles, I found one. Just goes to show that screw caps might just be the answer. I tossed it down the drain and opened another, and all was right and good in the world again. Can you guess what winery it was?

[James Roscoe]

Stone Wolf? Now why aren't you in chat tonight?

Carlo and Julian?

Carlo and Julian?

That's funny! I've driven past that place a couple of times but never had the "guts" to stop in.

[Jenise]

Carlo and Julian?

No, that's Brett City. But they have good cats.

I hope that every one understood that I was bragging on how many Stone Wolf bottles I have had before finding one that was TCA infected. My biggest complaint is that it was the 2007 Double gold best of class wine that went down the drain.

[Jenise]

Not sure about anyone else but I missed that point, Bob. Probably in part because that's pretty much out of the winery's control anyway so from my standpoint your results reflect well on your luck, not on the winery, great though they may be.

Not sure about anyone else but I missed that point, Bob. Probably in part because that's pretty much out of the winery's control anyway so from my standpoint your results reflect well on your luck, not on the winery.

Jenise, I am not saying anything about the winery at all, just my experience. My honest experience and opinion is that the reported percentage of TCA infected wine is exaggerated. I know, that you know, that I am a champion of a certain wine because I like them so if I can say something I consider positive, I will surely say so. And so I did. Also, I wanted to make it clear that I was not dissing the winery over a one in a hundred (or thereabouts) infected bottle. Anyway, I apologize for being so thick skulled, and so discombobulated.

My honest experience and opinion is that the reported percentage of TCA infected wine is exaggerated.

of course, the other possibility is that you're not very sensitive to TCA.

My honest experience and opinion is that the reported percentage of TCA infected wine is exaggerated.

of course, the other possibility is that you're not very sensitive to TCA.

Been there, done that Dale, but I venture to say that if it is present, I smell and taste it. Really do think that this 10% threshold reported or claimed is pushing the limits. Do I think I have been lucky with this winery? Yes I do, and am happy to be so.

[Jenise]

Not sure about anyone else but I missed that point, Bob. Probably in part because that's pretty much out of the winery's control anyway so from my standpoint your results reflect well on your luck, not on the winery, great though they may be.

Jenise, I am not saying anything about the winery at all, just my experience. My honest experience and opinion is that the reported percentage of TCA infected wine is exaggerated. I know, that you know, that I am a champion of a certain wine because I like them so if I can say something I consider positive, I will surely say so. And so I did. Also, I wanted to make it clear that I was not dissing the winery over a one in a hundred (or thereabouts) infected bottle. Anyway, I apologize for being so thick skulled, and so discombobulated.

Not sure about anyone else but I missed that point, Bob. Probably in part because that's pretty much out of the winery's control anyway so from my standpoint your results reflect well on your luck, not on the winery, great though they may be.

Jenise, I am not saying anything about the winery at all, just my experience. My honest experience and opinion is that the reported percentage of TCA infected wine is exaggerated. I know, that you know, that I am a champion of a certain wine because I like them so if I can say something I consider positive, I will surely say so. And so I did. Also, I wanted to make it clear that I was not dissing the winery over a one in a hundred (or thereabouts) infected bottle. Anyway, I apologize for being so thick skulled, and so discombobulated.

1 out of 50 would be about right, in my experience, that would be the 2%-3% that is usually reported. Last year I don't think I had a single bottle, out of about maybe 500 opened, but in the first two months of this year I've had 5 or 6 corked bottles. Sometimes, at the "mildly corked" level, it is best to relax and enjoy the wine, and you will notice that most others are oblivious to the problem. Returns are gracefully refunded at a store or winery, part of doing business, and built into their costs. I believe that screwcaps should be used for short term wine, but corks are fine by me for better wines, one more bit of added mystique to the whole thing, but never-the-less very frustrating when it happens. Usually caught in a decant though, which should be perfunctory with good reds.

I don't know many people who claim 10%. I'd guess I'm in the middle of the sensitivity scale (maybe slightly to insensitive side) and probably hit around 4%. A WS study of 2800 bottles had 7% showing taint at a level some (not all) humans sense.

As to relation with this winery, I'm perplexed. I've had more corked Jadots than Drouhins, but like both wineries, and wouldn't factor in those bottles in my opinions

[David M. Bueker]

So far in 2010 I am running at my lowest "corked" percentage ever, a little over 4%. Of course I am also opening about 10% alternative closures, so the numbers get skewed.

As for the over or under reporting of TCA problems, it certainly is personal, but it can also be related to overall patience with a wine. Our tasting group had a bottle last night where I was certain it was corked on first sip, but it was only after an hour or so that it became completely obvious. Some folks even liked the corked wine quite a bit at first, and if we had been "drinking" rather than "tasting" we would never have had that bottle around for an hour to see the taint evolve and permeate the wine. By the time re-pours of the wine came around there was no doubt.

My rate of TCA bottles has come down to 6-7% over this last year. I think part of it is the cork industry has made some good strides to improve things. But just this week when we were visiting family in the Phoenix area I had taken a 2003 Penner Ash Pinot Noir Goldschmidt Vyd. that was defiitely corked. I did not wish to bring the bottle back so I used the saran wrap process on it. After about an hour the bottle was quite drinkable the next night. I get to taste lots of wine since I sell retail, probably 80+ per week in the store.