After my first "corked" experience, I have to assume there will be more.
Wasn't quite counting on that while I was building my collection, but now
that I know I'll just lower my max bid appropriately for future acquisitions
(was wondering why I won so many).

A number of you suggested writing the wineries and suggested they switch to
Stelvin. In the past, the wine that I had without a cork has been pretty low
quality. Has Stelvin been around long enough to proven itself over the
course of time? If so, I'd like to try some....

I'm looking for recommendations. Are there any 90+ rated drinkable ("ready")
reds out there? If Stelvin is as good as people claim, then I'm sure there
must be. As for me, my top choices would be red Bordeaux (or other blend),
cab, and merlot. Can be fairly affordable (no Cheval Blanc-like, Clerc
Milon-like is okay with me).

Thanks in advance

\/

"Vincent" > wrote in message
...
> After my first "corked" experience, I have to assume there will be more.
> Wasn't quite counting on that while I was building my collection, but now
> that I know I'll just lower my max bid appropriately for future
> acquisitions (was wondering why I won so many).
>
> A number of you suggested writing the wineries and suggested they switch
> to Stelvin. In the past, the wine that I had without a cork has been
> pretty low quality. Has Stelvin been around long enough to proven itself
> over the course of time? If so, I'd like to try some....
>
> I'm looking for recommendations. Are there any 90+ rated drinkable
> ("ready") reds out there? If Stelvin is as good as people claim, then I'm
> sure there must be.

Unfortunately, although Stelvin is gaining market acceptance rather quickly
for white wines, there seem to be few red wines that are so bottled. I
expect this to change eventually, but it's asking a lot to expect the
Titanic to make a sharp U-turn like that! :^/

Tom S

"Vincent" > wrote in message
...
> After my first "corked" experience, I have to assume there will be more.
> Wasn't quite counting on that while I was building my collection, but now
> that I know I'll just lower my max bid appropriately for future
> acquisitions (was wondering why I won so many).
>
> A number of you suggested writing the wineries and suggested they switch
> to Stelvin. In the past, the wine that I had without a cork has been
> pretty low quality. Has Stelvin been around long enough to proven itself
> over the course of time? If so, I'd like to try some....
>
> I'm looking for recommendations. Are there any 90+ rated drinkable
> ("ready") reds out there? If Stelvin is as good as people claim, then I'm
> sure there must be.

Unfortunately, although Stelvin is gaining market acceptance rather quickly
for white wines, there seem to be few red wines that are so bottled. I
expect this to change eventually, but it's asking a lot to expect the
Titanic to make a sharp U-turn like that! :^/

Tom S

>Unfortunately, although Stelvin is gaining market acceptance rather quickly
>for white wines, there seem to be few red wines that are so bottled. I
>expect this to change eventually, but it's asking a lot to expect the
>Titanic to make a sharp U-turn like that! :^/

FWIW, I just saw a number of bottles of R H Phillips Chardonnay with screwcaps
where the screwcaps had failed and the wine had leaked a significant amount
from each bottle.
Bi!!

Whilst there are more & more wines going into Stelvin it can be hard to find
older ones, it does happen though. In late 2002 I went to Brown Brothers
winery in the King Valley Central Victoria where a friend of mine had taken
a position as Food & Beverage Manager (Restaurant & Cellar Door) I'd been
there before and enjoyed their fairly extensive range, this time however I
had the good fortune & right connections to sample a bottle of 1977 Spatlese
Lexia that had been sealed under Stelvin and stored in the Family Cellar. (3
dozen of every wine, every vintage goes into the family cellar and it is a
very impressive sight) We tasted the '77 alongside the '02, these wines were
made in exactly the same way from pretty much the same parcel of grapes.
Well what an unbeleivable difference, the '02 was overly sweet, one
dimensional trailer trash wine. The '77, with no addition but old father
time and a perfect seal, was rich & complex, honeyed mint and toasty caramel
with a magnificent lingering finish and wonderful fresh vibrancy. This was a
"Stelvin Epiphany" for me, far from being a cheap seal for cheap wine it
suddenly became by far the best seal for all those semillons & reislings I
love with 5 to 10 years or more on them. I buy a couple of dozen premium Oz
reisling every year ($20 -$30) for ageing and I now look exclusively for
Stelvins. Love that closure.
Andrew


"Vincent" > wrote in message
...
> After my first "corked" experience, I have to assume there will be more.
> Wasn't quite counting on that while I was building my collection, but now
> that I know I'll just lower my max bid appropriately for future
> acquisitions (was wondering why I won so many).
>
> A number of you suggested writing the wineries and suggested they switch
> to Stelvin. In the past, the wine that I had without a cork has been
> pretty low quality. Has Stelvin been around long enough to proven itself
> over the course of time? If so, I'd like to try some....
>
> I'm looking for recommendations. Are there any 90+ rated drinkable
> ("ready") reds out there? If Stelvin is as good as people claim, then I'm
> sure there must be. As for me, my top choices would be red Bordeaux (or
> other blend), cab, and merlot. Can be fairly affordable (no Cheval
> Blanc-like, Clerc Milon-like is okay with me).
>
> Thanks in advance
>
> \/
>

Whilst there are more & more wines going into Stelvin it can be hard to find
older ones, it does happen though. In late 2002 I went to Brown Brothers
winery in the King Valley Central Victoria where a friend of mine had taken
a position as Food & Beverage Manager (Restaurant & Cellar Door) I'd been
there before and enjoyed their fairly extensive range, this time however I
had the good fortune & right connections to sample a bottle of 1977 Spatlese
Lexia that had been sealed under Stelvin and stored in the Family Cellar. (3
dozen of every wine, every vintage goes into the family cellar and it is a
very impressive sight) We tasted the '77 alongside the '02, these wines were
made in exactly the same way from pretty much the same parcel of grapes.
Well what an unbeleivable difference, the '02 was overly sweet, one
dimensional trailer trash wine. The '77, with no addition but old father
time and a perfect seal, was rich & complex, honeyed mint and toasty caramel
with a magnificent lingering finish and wonderful fresh vibrancy. This was a
"Stelvin Epiphany" for me, far from being a cheap seal for cheap wine it
suddenly became by far the best seal for all those semillons & reislings I
love with 5 to 10 years or more on them. I buy a couple of dozen premium Oz
reisling every year ($20 -$30) for ageing and I now look exclusively for
Stelvins. Love that closure.
Andrew


"Vincent" > wrote in message
...
> After my first "corked" experience, I have to assume there will be more.
> Wasn't quite counting on that while I was building my collection, but now
> that I know I'll just lower my max bid appropriately for future
> acquisitions (was wondering why I won so many).
>
> A number of you suggested writing the wineries and suggested they switch
> to Stelvin. In the past, the wine that I had without a cork has been
> pretty low quality. Has Stelvin been around long enough to proven itself
> over the course of time? If so, I'd like to try some....
>
> I'm looking for recommendations. Are there any 90+ rated drinkable
> ("ready") reds out there? If Stelvin is as good as people claim, then I'm
> sure there must be. As for me, my top choices would be red Bordeaux (or
> other blend), cab, and merlot. Can be fairly affordable (no Cheval
> Blanc-like, Clerc Milon-like is okay with me).
>
> Thanks in advance
>
> \/
>

"RV WRLee" > wrote in message
...
> FWIW, I just saw a number of bottles of R H Phillips Chardonnay with
> screwcaps
> where the screwcaps had failed and the wine had leaked a significant
> amount
> from each bottle.

That can happen if the bottle is dropped on its head, such that the cap
becomes dented. I've seen that happen to Perrier bottles.

Tom S

In the mid-price range I've recently had a Peter Lehmann Grenache and a
Brown Brothers Tarango from screw-capped bottles. Both of these, of course,
are relatively young drinkers; I don't know if Lehmann is bottling the rest
of the Barossa range under Stelvin.

Regards,

Ian

"Tom S" > wrote in message
om...
>
> "Vincent" > wrote in message
> ...
> > After my first "corked" experience, I have to assume there will be more.
> > Wasn't quite counting on that while I was building my collection, but
now
> > that I know I'll just lower my max bid appropriately for future
> > acquisitions (was wondering why I won so many).
> >
> > A number of you suggested writing the wineries and suggested they switch
> > to Stelvin. In the past, the wine that I had without a cork has been
> > pretty low quality. Has Stelvin been around long enough to proven itself
> > over the course of time? If so, I'd like to try some....
> >
> > I'm looking for recommendations. Are there any 90+ rated drinkable
> > ("ready") reds out there? If Stelvin is as good as people claim, then
I'm
> > sure there must be.
>
> Unfortunately, although Stelvin is gaining market acceptance rather
quickly
> for white wines, there seem to be few red wines that are so bottled. I
> expect this to change eventually, but it's asking a lot to expect the
> Titanic to make a sharp U-turn like that! :^/
>
> Tom S
>
>