I have a batch of merlot (kit wine) that I've been consuming for about 2
years. The wine was a nice pleasant fruity wine but a recent bottle has
tasted quite bitter? Any ideas as to why the change?
Thanks
Rob

"Rob" > wrote in message
...
> I have a batch of merlot (kit wine) that I've been consuming for about 2
> years. The wine was a nice pleasant fruity wine but a recent bottle has
> tasted quite bitter? Any ideas as to why the change?

Could be corked, i.e. ruined by a bad cork. It's fairly common.

John

Interesting comment. I don't think that, in far too many years of drinking
wine, I have ever tasted a corked wine! I have always been told that if I do
I will recognise it instantly,
I wouldn't have thought it is "common" at all!

--
Trevor A Panther
In South Yorkshire, England
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"John DeFiore" > wrote in message
...
>
> "Rob" > wrote in message
> ...
> > I have a batch of merlot (kit wine) that I've been consuming for about 2
> > years. The wine was a nice pleasant fruity wine but a recent bottle has
> > tasted quite bitter? Any ideas as to why the change?
>
> Could be corked, i.e. ruined by a bad cork. It's fairly common.
>
> John
>
>

What I want to know is how he made a wine kit last two years!


"Pinky" > wrote in message
...
> Interesting comment. I don't think that, in far too many years of drinking
> wine, I have ever tasted a corked wine! I have always been told that if I
do
> I will recognise it instantly,
> I wouldn't have thought it is "common" at all!
>
> --
> Trevor A Panther
> In South Yorkshire, England
> Remove "PSANTISPAM" from my address line to reply.
> All outgoing mail is scanned by Norton
> Anti Virus for your protection too!
> "John DeFiore" > wrote in message
> ...
> >
> > "Rob" > wrote in message
> > ...
> > > I have a batch of merlot (kit wine) that I've been consuming for about
2
> > > years. The wine was a nice pleasant fruity wine but a recent bottle
has
> > > tasted quite bitter? Any ideas as to why the change?
> >
> > Could be corked, i.e. ruined by a bad cork. It's fairly common.
> >
> > John
> >
> >
>
>

"Pinky" > wrote in message >...
> Interesting comment. I don't think that, in far too many years of drinking
> wine, I have ever tasted a corked wine! I have always been told that if I do
> I will recognise it instantly,
> I wouldn't have thought it is "common" at all!
>
> --
> Trevor A Panther

Hi Trevor,

Many people just aren't sensitive to TCA (the chemical responsible for
"corked" wines). The same is said for a lot of other compounds which
can explain why some people love brocolli and others hate it.

Sensitivity to TCA doesn't appear to have anything to do with
experience or how good your sense of smell/taste is. It's just one of
those things, some are sensitive, some are not.

People that aren't sensitive to TCA may just find the wine flat and
lifeless, especially compared to an identical bottle which is not
tainted by TCA.

Andy

"JEP" > wrote in message
om...
> "Pinky" > wrote in message
>...
> > Interesting comment. I don't think that, in far too many years of
drinking
> > wine, I have ever tasted a corked wine! I have always been told that if
I do
> > I will recognise it instantly,
> > I wouldn't have thought it is "common" at all!
> >
> > --
> > Trevor A Panther
>
> Hi Trevor,
>
> Many people just aren't sensitive to TCA (the chemical responsible for
> "corked" wines). The same is said for a lot of other compounds which
> can explain why some people love brocolli and others hate it.
>
> Sensitivity to TCA doesn't appear to have anything to do with
> experience or how good your sense of smell/taste is. It's just one of
> those things, some are sensitive, some are not.
>
> People that aren't sensitive to TCA may just find the wine flat and
> lifeless, especially compared to an identical bottle which is not
> tainted by TCA.

That's exactly true. Some people are sensitive even below 2ppt, (parts per
trillion!) like James Laube of the Wine Spectator. Many people can detect
6ppt and by 10ppt I think most people would find a wine objectionable.
There do seem to be those that are not sensitive to it at all. Estimates
I've heard are up to 1 in 8 bottles with cork closures have detectible
levels of TCA for those who are very sensitive.

Regards,

John

John DeFiore wrote:
>
> That's exactly true. Some people are sensitive even below 2ppt, (parts per
> trillion!) like James Laube of the Wine Spectator. Many people can detect
> 6ppt and by 10ppt I think most people would find a wine objectionable.
> There do seem to be those that are not sensitive to it at all. Estimates
> I've heard are up to 1 in 8 bottles with cork closures have detectible
> levels of TCA for those who are very sensitive.
>
Because of the comparatively high rate of corking many vineyards in my
area (NZ,Marlborough) are using screw tops on their good whites.

Olwen Williams > wrote in message >...
> John DeFiore wrote:
> >
> > That's exactly true. Some people are sensitive even below 2ppt, (parts per
> > trillion!) like James Laube of the Wine Spectator. Many people can detect
> > 6ppt and by 10ppt I think most people would find a wine objectionable.
> > There do seem to be those that are not sensitive to it at all. Estimates
> > I've heard are up to 1 in 8 bottles with cork closures have detectible
> > levels of TCA for those who are very sensitive.
> >
> Because of the comparatively high rate of corking many vineyards in my
> area (NZ,Marlborough) are using screw tops on their good whites.

I hate to bring this up because we've had a long, drawn out discussion
on AFW about this topic, but there are sources of TCA taint other than
cork.

Andy

The current issue of Vineyard & Winery Management (Jan/Feb 2004) has a
good article discussing the TCA problem at Hanzell Winery in CA.
Basically any interaction between chlorine and wood can eventually
cause TCA taint. Very enlightening.



(JEP) wrote in message . com>...
> Olwen Williams > wrote in message >...
> > John DeFiore wrote:
> > >
> > > That's exactly true. Some people are sensitive even below 2ppt, (parts per
> > > trillion!) like James Laube of the Wine Spectator. Many people can detect
> > > 6ppt and by 10ppt I think most people would find a wine objectionable.
> > > There do seem to be those that are not sensitive to it at all. Estimates
> > > I've heard are up to 1 in 8 bottles with cork closures have detectible
> > > levels of TCA for those who are very sensitive.
> > >
> > Because of the comparatively high rate of corking many vineyards in my
> > area (NZ,Marlborough) are using screw tops on their good whites.
>
> I hate to bring this up because we've had a long, drawn out discussion
> on AFW about this topic, but there are sources of TCA taint other than
> cork.
>
> Andy