Corked/Spoilt Ports - Name and Shame

RonnieRoots · Post by **RonnieRoots** » 18:35 Tue 17 Aug 2010

Quarles Harris 1977: Corked. From a batch of 2 bottles bought some two years ago. Bottle no.1 was also corked.

Andy Velebil · Post by **Andy Velebil** » 03:41 Wed 18 Aug 2010

RonnieRoots wrote:Quarles Harris 1977: Corked. From a batch of 2 bottles bought some two years ago. Bottle no.1 was also corked.

To bad, I've opened several of these and they've all been fine

Post by **Alex Bridgeman** » 16:56 Mon 30 Aug 2010

Calem 1985
Opened at the Crusting Pipe on August 26 2010; sadly quite badly tainted. The only time I have tried this port so I hope this is not the last time.

ac-fast · Post by **ac-fast** » 14:57 Thu 16 Sep 2010

Vesuvio 1999...2 out of 3 bottels.....with bad cork

Post by **Alex Bridgeman** » 23:07 Fri 08 Oct 2010

Another bottle of Gould Campbell 1977, Oporto bottled. I really don't have a good strike rate with these. I think I'm probably 9 out of 10 corked.

Post by **Alex Bridgeman** » 09:37 Sat 09 Oct 2010

Warre 1958 - not sure who the bottler was. Perhaps Derek can identify the bottler.

Post by **DRT** » 09:56 Sat 09 Oct 2010

AHB wrote:Warre 1958 - not sure who the bottler was. Perhaps Derek can identify the bottler.

Grants of St James's.

g-man · Post by **g-man** » 17:58 Tue 23 Nov 2010

dow 1977

slightly corked, bit of cardboard with a strange bitterness/astringency.

no fruit at all, all burnt wood.

Post by **jdaw1** » 16:04 Mon 10 Jan 2011

[url=http://www.theportforum.com/viewtopic.php?p=39923#p39923]Here[/url] jdaw1 wrote:SW95 LBV, dark red, 90% opacity. Initially I thought bottle stink, but as it grew in strength this resolved into being corked. Foul.

Added to Corked/Spoilt Ports - Name and Shame.

Post by **DRT** » 21:52 Wed 23 Feb 2011

Quarles Harris 1980 from half bottle.

Post by **PhilW** » 12:18 Mon 06 Jun 2011

Partly-corked Grahams 83.

Glenn E. · Post by **Glenn E.** » 22:18 Tue 07 Jun 2011

1977 Dow on 25 April, 2011. So badly corked that even I could taste it.

Post by **DRT** » 21:47 Sun 26 Jun 2011

A half bottle of Croft 2004 LBV, bought from Tesco.

I think this is the first time I have had a corked bottle that has a T-cork.

Post by **DRT** » 23:25 Sat 02 Jul 2011

DRT wrote:A half bottle of Croft 2004 LBV, bought from Tesco.

I think this is the first time I have had a corked bottle that has a T-cork.

Strike 2 !!!!

The second half bottle from six from the same purchase. Not as badly corked as the first one, but enough to make me not drink it. Hopefully this is just a concentrated bad batch of corks as I have a ton of this stuff in storage. Thankfully all of it was bought from a different store to these corked ones so hopefully not from the same batch.

g-man · Post by **g-man** » 13:44 Wed 13 Jul 2011

Both a noval 63 and a warres 63 both appeared heat damaged.

Post by **Alex Bridgeman** » 22:39 Sat 03 Dec 2011

Smith Woodhouse 1977 at the QH / SW / GC triple vertical in November 2011.

griff · Post by **griff** » 12:43 Sat 05 May 2012

1996 Niepoort LBV 375 mL bottle

griff · Post by **griff** » 13:23 Sat 14 Jul 2012

Fonseca Crusted (bottled 2006)

Post by **Alex Bridgeman** » 11:47 Tue 16 Oct 2012

Last night we had a bottle of Bomfim 1979 that was quite badly corked.

So we opened a bottle of Bomfim 1978 instead - only to find that was also corked.

And then there was a general discussion about whether it was coincidence that we also experience a high level of TCA taint in the Dow 1977...

Post by **Alex Bridgeman** » 15:04 Sun 21 Oct 2012

Just opened my only bottle of Bomfim 1978 - yup! Corked!!

Bomfim 1978 and 1979 will be added to my list of ports not to buy.

richardhod · Post by **richardhod** » 20:17 Sat 05 Jan 2013

hi! I ',m new round here.
Anyway, the first two out of our case of 1983 Warre's were both pretty badly corked (TCA)
third one seems ok, just opened, but that's a bad start. Imay jsut detect a hint of taint in this thirdone, but it's hard to tell as I've never had a good bottle of this stuff, and I'm paranoid.
it's drinkable, with some decent deep berry flavours, and a hint of alcohol. Not as complex as I'd expect but a. it's just opened 30 minutes ago , and b. there may be a hint of cork suppressing it!

Post by **Alex Bridgeman** » 23:25 Sat 05 Jan 2013

richardhod wrote:hi! I ',m new round here.
Anyway, the first two out of our case of 1983 Warre's were both pretty badly corked (TCA)
third one seems ok, just opened, but that's a bad start. Imay jsut detect a hint of taint in this thirdone, but it's hard to tell as I've never had a good bottle of this stuff, and I'm paranoid.
it's drinkable, with some decent deep berry flavours, and a hint of alcohol. Not as complex as I'd expect but a. it's just opened 30 minutes ago , and b. there may be a hint of cork suppressing it!

That's bad news. Warre 1983 is not a port that I thought had a particular problem with TCA - my experience is about 1 in 12 have been tainted.

mpij · Post by **mpij** » 14:59 Sat 16 Mar 2013

Krohn 2007 lbv, smells and tastes musty and very little fruit.

Post by **Alex Bridgeman** » 07:05 Mon 25 Mar 2013

At the Taylor offline on 22 March 2013 the 1977 and 1983 were both corked - and the 1927 was very odd, although not corked.

djewesbury · Post by **djewesbury** » 21:37 Thu 04 Apr 2013

Now that's what I call a spoilt bottle...

Post by **jdaw1** » 22:04 Thu 04 Apr 2013

Not good. Had a wine merchant just shipped that to you?

djewesbury · Post by **djewesbury** » 22:21 Thu 04 Apr 2013

jdaw1 wrote:Not good. Had a wine merchant just shipped that to you?

bidforwine = private auction. But seller being very helpful so at least I'll get my money back. It was shipped in a tube. Surely a few corners would give greater structural integrity? There was no liquid left in the packaging, and the cardboard was also only slightly damp, so it must have broken fairly early in the shipping.

Post by **jdaw1** » 22:47 Thu 04 Apr 2013

djewesbury wrote:There was no liquid left in the packaging, and the cardboard was also only slightly damp, so it must have broken fairly early in the shipping.

Somebody else’s computer equipment, collected from a nearby address, will be sticky and non-functional.

djewesbury · Post by **djewesbury** » 23:52 Thu 04 Apr 2013

jdaw1 wrote:
djewesbury wrote:There was no liquid left in the packaging, and the cardboard was also only slightly damp, so it must have broken fairly early in the shipping.
Somebody else’s computer equipment, collected from a nearby address, will be sticky and non-functional.

But will smell rather nice. For a little while at least.

djewesbury · Post by **djewesbury** » 09:29 Sun 21 Apr 2013

1977 Dow
Badly oxidised. Full note here.

Post by **Alex Bridgeman** » 15:34 Sun 12 May 2013

1985 Warre in a half bottle was so full of VA as to be undrinkable.

RAYC · Post by **RAYC** » 16:14 Sun 12 May 2013

AHB wrote:1985 Warre in a half bottle was so full of VA as to be undrinkable.

1985 or 1983...? Or both?!

Post by **Alex Bridgeman** » 17:54 Sun 12 May 2013

RAYC wrote:
AHB wrote:1985 Warre in a half bottle was so full of VA as to be undrinkable.
1985 or 1983...? Or both?!

1985 - thank you. TN now corrected.

Post by **Alex Bridgeman** » 09:17 Tue 04 Jun 2013

Offley Boa Vista 1977 - full of TCA

CPR 1 · Post by **CPR 1** » 21:54 Thu 02 Jan 2014

1985 Graham was so full of VA as to be undrinkable most disappointing!

Miguel Simoes · Post by **Miguel Simoes** » 03:33 Fri 10 Jan 2014

1977 Dow VP
Picked it to be our Thanksgiving VP but by dessert time i couldnt get myself to drink it. It was tasting fine over the first hour or two in decanter. More than half the bottle went down the drain the following day. so sad.

Andy Velebil · Post by **Andy Velebil** » 03:56 Fri 10 Jan 2014

Miguel Simoes wrote:1977 Dow VP
Picked it to be our Thanksgiving VP but by dessert time i couldnt get myself to drink it. It was tasting fine over the first hour or two in decanter. More than half the bottle went down the drain the following day. so sad.

Sadly, pretty typical for this port.

Post by **Alex Bridgeman** » 08:08 Fri 10 Jan 2014

Another bottle of Gould Campbell 1977 opened on 8th Jan 2014 was tainted, initially not too badly but it got worse.

griff · Post by **griff** » 23:52 Sat 31 May 2014

1977 Sandeman corked

Post by **Alex Bridgeman** » 19:58 Mon 02 Jun 2014

Dow 1985 spoiled by VA

Post by **jdaw1** » 20:56 Mon 02 Jun 2014

Two days ago, a Graham Crusted bottled 1998, TCA-tastic.

djewesbury · Post by **djewesbury** » 21:01 Mon 02 Jun 2014

jdaw1 wrote:Two days ago, a Graham Crusted bottled 1998, TCA-tastic.

The GC98 in my glass right now is not corked but has a LOT of VA, even two days in.

Post by **flash_uk** » 21:09 Mon 02 Jun 2014

djewesbury wrote:
jdaw1 wrote:Two days ago, a Graham Crusted bottled 1998, TCA-tastic.
The GC98 in my glass right now is not corked but has a LOT of VA, even two days in.

Bought my first bottle of this at the weekend. Hope it fares better than these examples!

griff · Post by **griff** » 06:40 Sat 10 Jan 2015

2005 Quinta do Noval LBV (unfiltered) - TCA of the worst kind. The just above threshold stuff that has you guessing, wondering, worrying at the absent bouquet and the closed (aka stripped) palate. Leaving it an hour and coming back to it we have proof positive with the musty odour developing. So frustrating and no replacement likely in the Antipodes.

idj123 · Post by **idj123** » 10:39 Sun 11 Jan 2015

Ok, even being aware of the poor hit rate(what is it quoted at-1 in 4, 1 in 5?), on the occasion of my brother-in-law's 38th birthday, I decanted a bottle of D77. Early signs were fair post decant, but when it came to be consumed at D+7, there was that familiar woody smell. It wasn't smothering and indeed only one person commented on it but with that plus the overly spirity aftertaste I knew that I had experienced first hand, the curse of the D77!

WMB · Post by **WMB** » 16:51 Sat 21 Feb 2015

Hi everyone, The other day I opened up 12 bottles of Cockburns 1994 port. 4 out of the 12 had strong Gloo/Nail varnish aromas. I think this is VA (Volatile Acidity - Acetic Acid Bacrearia Spoilage). How many of you are experiencing the same thing with 1994 Cockburns? Thanks

Post by **Alex Bridgeman** » 21:27 Sat 21 Feb 2015

WMB wrote:Hi everyone, The other day I opened up 12 bottles of Cockburns 1994 port. 4 out of the 12 had strong Gloo/Nail varnish aromas. I think this is VA (Volatile Acidity - Acetic Acid Bacrearia Spoilage). How many of you are experiencing the same thing with 1994 Cockburns? Thanks

I've only had the Ck94 a handful of times and am yet to be convinced of its quality. I've never been able to pin down my lack of satisfaction to VA, but maybe that's what's been causing my unhappiness.

LGTrotter · Post by **LGTrotter** » 22:38 Sat 21 Feb 2015

WMB wrote:Hi everyone, The other day I opened up 12 bottles of Cockburns 1994 port. 4 out of the 12 had strong Gloo/Nail varnish aromas. I think this is VA (Volatile Acidity - Acetic Acid Bacrearia Spoilage). How many of you are experiencing the same thing with 1994 Cockburns? Thanks

Blimey! You go for it on a night in. That does seem a rather high failure rate, but not unheard of with this wine. It does divide opinion, some saying it is excellent port, others saying it is a known trap. The difficulty is that I trust the opinions of those on both sides of the debate. I bought some, just in case.

WMB · Post by **WMB** » 11:28 Sun 22 Feb 2015

AHB wrote:
WMB wrote:Hi everyone, The other day I opened up 12 bottles of Cockburns 1994 port. 4 out of the 12 had strong Gloo/Nail varnish aromas. I think this is VA (Volatile Acidity - Acetic Acid Bacrearia Spoilage). How many of you are experiencing the same thing with 1994 Cockburns? Thanks
I've only had the Ck94 a handful of times and am yet to be convinced of its quality. I've never been able to pin down my lack of satisfaction to VA, but maybe that's what's been causing my unhappiness.

Thanks AHB and LG Trotter, In my book anything smelling of UHU Gloo or nail varnish is not very attractive, so the wine has been spoiled by microbal contamination. Surely there comes a point where. if the wine has been bought shortly after shipment and stored in a proper private cellar, that the Port House has a case to answere too!!!! You do not expect VA in so many bottles from one case. Any comments please.

Andy Velebil · Post by **Andy Velebil** » 15:18 Mon 23 Feb 2015

VA is a wine making issue. It will affect all the wine made. Though some bottles can show it more than others if exposed to more heat, as that will cause it to bloom and become more noticeable. Cockburn's had some issues during this period, as did some other producers.