Bottle Variation

[Rebel Rose]

This article by wine writer Dan Berger explains an oft-experienced anomaly. Why do different bottles of the same wine taste different?

The subject came up at a dinner not long ago: It was bottle variation.

This is a bit of "winespeak" for the fact that two bottles of wine with identical labels could very well taste different. This happens more often than anyone wants to admit, especially the wineries.

How often have you had this experience?

[dinwiddie]

This article by wine writer Dan Berger explains an oft-experienced anomaly.  Why do different bottles of the same wine taste different?

The subject came up at a dinner not long ago: It was bottle variation.

This is a bit of "winespeak" for the fact that two bottles of wine with identical labels could very well taste different. This happens more often than anyone wants to admit, especially the wineries.

How often have you had this experience?

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Often enough to comment on, not so often as to be a major problem. What is more likely is that you will try a bottle of something that the critics or your friends rave about and find that it just isn't up to snuff. I've had this happen but when I tried another bottle, find myself wowed.

[wkl]

i tend to buy lots of wines from small and mid sized producers, usually in enough quantity to taste several bottles of the same wine.

i notice quite a bit of bottle variation, i don't consider it bad thing and have come to expect it.

the author actually hits on most of the reasons for this, so i won't repeat them.i get strange looks from friends when i open something only to recork, with the comment, it's a funny bottle, not bad or corked just off somehow.it's part of the mystique wine has that keeps the pursuit of this fascinating beverage so intriguing.