Capsule top missing

I was moving some bottles around the other night and the top of the capsule of one (2010 Dr. F. Weins-Prüm Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese if it matters but I don't think it does) came off so the cork is now completely exposed. Should I care? I have seen some bottles sold with exposed corks but they've mostly been things intended for very short term drinking. I was probably going to hold on to this for a while. Thoughts?

[David M. Bueker]

No issue unless it was forced off by an extruding cork.

I store all my home made wines with labels, and I only put capsules on bottles I'm giving away.

Capsules are strictly for presentation.

I should add that a 2002 Kabinett I purchased for the Wehlener Sonnenuhr vertical MoCool 2013 had no capsule and was fine.

...I bought a 2007 S.A. Prüm Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Kabinett, but will keep it here and just bring the 2007 Kerpen Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Kabinett and 2002 Kerpen Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Spätlese. The '07 is in a nice, screw cap bottle. The '02 bottle looks a little rough - cork, no capsule and half-crumpled label - last one they had.

Here are the WTNs:
http://www.wineloverspage.com/forum/village/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=48711&p=400029

Thanks everyone. I assumed it wasn't a big deal but just wanted to check.

Capsules were originally introduced to discourage rats from nibbling on corks in the cellar. Of course, those capsules were made from lead, a far better rat deterrent than the current crop of capsule materials. If you have a rat problem in the wine cellar, though, you might want to think about installing a capsule on that bottle.

Mark Lipton

Capsules were originally introduced to discourage rats from nibbling on corks in the cellar.

Cork weevils, rather than rats, was what I heard. Haven't seen any historical evidence for either reason though.

Capsules were originally introduced to discourage rats from nibbling on corks in the cellar.

Cork weevils, rather than rats, was what I heard. Haven't seen any historical evidence for either reason though.

Nor have I.

My suspicion is that banging corks in was not a definite science and so lead capsules were at first a kind of insurance that nothing would drip out, not even the cork. Over time, with cork insertion technology having gotten better, the capsule's main function changed to advertising and presentation.

I have no proof of this suspicion.

Capsules were originally introduced to discourage rats from nibbling on corks in the cellar.

Cork weevils, rather than rats, was what I heard. Haven't seen any historical evidence for either reason though.

Steve,
I'll have to look where I saw that particular tidbit of information. Either way, it's not a problem that's concerned me, mercifully.

Mark Lipton