This Pinot Blanc is corked ... but ... hold on a minute!

[Robin Garr]

No question in my mind about the tainted status of tonight's dinner wine, <b>Trimbach 2002 Alsace Pinot Blanc</b>. The telltale musty wet-cardboard aroma wafted from the glass, and the apple-and-musky-melon fruit character, such as it was, was muted.

No question about it. It wasn't marginal taint, it was right out front. Mary picked it up as quickly as I did. We turned and looked at each other with expressions of horror before either of us uttered the "C" word.

But here's the kicker: <I>The wine was stoppered with a synthetic cork!</I> It was the Neocork/Nomacork type, a foamy cylinder in a smooth synthetic sleeve. This one was designed to look as much like a natural cork as possible, with a pale-tan cork color and an old-fashioned, simple inked-on design. But injecting it with TCA? That's probably a step farther than Trimbach would go for authenticity.

So what's going on here? Anyone care to venture any hypotheses?

We kicked this around in Chat earlier, and everyone was pretty much befuddled.

Random thoughts:

* Barrel taint? But does this light, fruity-style Pinot Blanc see oak? Trimbach's Website, unfortunately, is not informative. But I sure haven't heard any tales of widespread TCA issues at Trimbach, and if there was widespread taint in the winery or barrel program, I'd think that would be widely known by now.

* 2002 vintage issues? The cold wet late summer that was so bad in the Rhone wasn't a factor in Alsace ... was it?

* Four years under synthetic just too long? The conventional wisdom is growing that these "corks" are best used for only a year or two, and that could explain some of the muted fruit. But TCA?

Anybody have more cogent theories? Have there been other reports of problems at Trimbach that I've missed? What the heck is going on here?

Yeah, that`s a strange one. TCA problem somewhere eh? Might even be a cardboard box issue maybe? Where`s Jamie when you need him!!
Perhaps the Safeways plastic bag trick will help matters!

Remember the TCA taint problem that plagued BV in Napa several years ago? That problem, which impacted wines in vintages 1997-1999, was isolated to a humidification system in the winery.

-- Clark

I don't know about Trimbach but I have heard of one winemaker in the Loire who had a TCA infection in the materials used to construct his cellar.

Not a good thing.

I've had good luck with corks recently: only three wines corked in the past 4 months (well, to be fair, I haven't been drinking much at home, but more in big tastings were bottles are checked before being put on display). But two were Trimbach's Pinot Gris Réserve 2002s. These bottles of 2002 are obviously too small a sample to say anything, but coupled with Robin's which wasn't even stopped by cork, I am wondering if anyone else has had problems with their 02s? That would be a dashed shame, because I've always thought they make great stuff year in year out (except their basic Riesling 03 was quite flat). I'm not sounding the alarm, just asking for more reference points!

-O-

Remember the TCA taint problem that plagued BV in Napa several years ago? That problem, which impacted wines in vintages 1997-1999, was isolated to a humidification system in the winery.

-- Clark

This certainly is a possibility. TCA can live in porous areas of the winery facility too.

Incidentally, if I was asked to mention any particular winery I've encountered with the highest percentage of TCA--Trimbach would be in contention, so maybe they do have a BV-like problem.

[Robin Garr]

Remember the TCA taint problem that plagued BV in Napa several years ago? That problem, which impacted wines in vintages 1997-1999, was isolated to a humidification system in the winery.

Belatedly getting back to this thread (it's been a busy day), I do remember that, Clark. Sad story! I haven't heard anything similar about Trimbach, though, and they have an excellent reputation and a fairly high profile. That's what made me think this bottle might have been an anomaly ... but how could one synthetic-cork bottle be corked unless its entire batch was?

[Robin Garr]

I don't know about Trimbach but I have heard of one winemaker in the Loire who had a TCA infection in the materials used to construct his cellar.

It's not entirely uncommon, Rahsaan ... as Clark points out, BV in California had a notoriously difficult case, and there have been others I'm sure, although I can't retrieve them from short-term memory right now.

Again, though, I haven't heard of anything similar from Trimbach.

[Robin Garr]

I've had good luck with corks recently: only three wines corked in the past 4 months (well, to be fair, I haven't been drinking much at home, but more in big tastings were bottles are checked before being put on display). But two were Trimbach's Pinot Gris Réserve 2002s. These bottles of 2002 are obviously too small a sample to say anything, but coupled with Robin's which wasn't even stopped by cork, I am wondering if anyone else has had problems with their 02s? That would be a dashed shame, because I've always thought they make great stuff year in year out (except their basic Riesling 03 was quite flat). I'm not sounding the alarm, just asking for more reference points!

Otto, I agree that the baseline data is small, but your report and Thomas's, coupled with this odd experience, is a bit worrisome. It came as quite a shock and surprise, though, even though I know it is conceptually possible, to get that familiar stench from a bottle containing no tree bark!

[Robin Garr]

This certainly is a possibility. TCA can live in porous areas of the winery facility too.

And, in fairness, so can tribromoanisole (TBA) and various other similar compounds ... TBA is more common in wood than cork. (Yah, I know, cork is wood, but you know what I mean.)

Incidentally, if I was asked to mention any particular winery I've encountered with the highest percentage of TCA--Trimbach would be in contention, so maybe they do have a BV-like problem.

I had no idea! As I said at the top of the thread, I wasn't aware of persistent cork-taint issues there, but that "moldy wet-cardboard chlorine" stink coming out of a Neo/NomaCork'd bottle was quite an experience. I know it's possible, but it was my first time to experience it, and like riding out your first earthquake and suddenly realizing that terra isn't always firma, it was an alarming thing to have happen.

...that "moldy wet-cardboard chlorine" stink coming out of a Neo/NomaCork'd bottle was quite an experience. I know it's possible, but it was my first time to experience it, and like riding out your first earthquake and suddenly realizing that terra isn't always firma, it was an alarming thing to have happen.

Last night, I had no corked wine, but did have a small earthquake. I've gotten used to extremely frequent earthquakes. As long as they don't cause severe damage or any loss of life, I must say I prefer them to corked wine.

Actually, got home late from work and had the last half-glass out of a bottle of 04 Louvetrie Muscadet that I had opened late last week. Was starting to fade, but was sufficently pleasing as a quick drop with sliced organic tomato, a fried organic egg, and an English muffin toasted with a bit of white cheddar. I love the new organic produce, egg, and tofu man who delivers to my house once a week!

Jim