Can you save a corked wine?

[malcolmjolley]

Gérard Michel, a biochemist from Burgundy, has produced a kit costing €40 (£27) that he says can restore the original taste and bouquet.

[Taboni]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/afplifestylefrancewine

[Brad Ballinger]

The linked article is pretty short on text.

Call me skeptical, I guess. I suppose if the kit completely eliminated TCA, maybe. But if TCA alters the chemical composition of the wine itself to the point where it cannot be surgically extracted, then I don't think so.

[PassionateChefsDie]

I found these two refrences follow links as to whether it works these sites seem to go into the science you got me intrigued

http://columbus.bizjournals.com/columbus/s...22/smallb4.html

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,3-1604251,00.html

Hope this helps but as a rule cant you return a corked wine?

Edit: 2 more links more about treating the corks first rather than the wine after

http://lifestyle.iafrica.com/goodlife/wine/news/289486.htm

http://www.cincypost.com/2002/11/19/wine111902.html

As for a conclusion not my field also agree about whether its TCA and how it gets into the production! One link says not sure how it gets in the cork, guess someones going to need a corked wine and a kit

Thanks Brad

Edited May 10, 2005 by PassionateChefsDie (log)

[Brad Ballinger]

Hope this helps but as a rule cant you return a corked wine?

←

That depends on the retailer, do you have a receipt, etc. Some retailers won't accept a wine, no matter how flawed not as a result of anything the consumer did after a certain period of time. Others will accept them years later.

All the more reason I advocate establishing a good relationship with a wine merchant.

[carswell]

Even if the device works, in the end it's simpler and cheaper if the wine isn't corked to begin with. Cork is dead. Long live the screwcap!

By the way, according to this discussion on the WLDG, it may not be necessary to invest €40 in a TCA-removal device, as a simple baggie or ziplock bag will do the trick.

I'm suspicious of the claims but am willing to keep an open mind, and look forward to doing a little experimentation. So, here's hoping a corked bottle comes my way soon! (That's a first and I'm praying that it's not my remaining bottle of the '83 Pichon-Lalande.)

Edited May 10, 2005 by carswell (log)

[Daniel Rogov]

I would just as quickly invest in this latest miracle as I would in magnets or ventouri tubes that age wines five years within three hours. Actually, I think I'd prefer rattlesnake antidote! Heck, I even prefer pyramids that can sharpen razor blades.

[SWISS_CHEF]

Hope this helps but as a rule cant you return a corked wine?

←

That depends on the retailer, do you have a receipt, etc. Some retailers won't accept a wine, no matter how flawed not as a result of anything the consumer did after a certain period of time. Others will accept them years later.

All the more reason I advocate establishing a good relationship with a wine merchant.

←

I don't think there is a merchant in all of Switzerland that wouldn't give you a refund on a corked wine. I work with several importers and it is always made very clear to me that they expect to get corked bottles back and I should ALWAYS return them. In fact I dropped off two just this afternoon in Luzern.

[Rebel Rose]

Huh. It's possible, I suppose, but seems a bit far-fetched.

Even if you can chemically remove the TCA, it will have already interacted with the wine and changed its profile. I'm guessing that if it does work, it would work only with very young wines. It would be great if it's the answer to TCA, though!

By the way, TCA can infect entire cellars. It's not just a cork problem. The cork can be fine and the wine still infected with TCA if the winery has poor sanitation.

[Genny]

http://dailynews.yahoo.com/s/afp/afplifestylefrancewine

According to the article, the technology to remove unfavorable "cork" flavor has been around for a while, they are now making it available for home use. Has anyone tried this in their winery, restaurant or home already? Does it really work?