My Article: Sometimes I Hate Corks!

When is the last time you had two bottles of the same wine corked?

It happened to me last Friday and the thought still hurts. I invited Francesco Ricasoli from Barone Ricasoli in Chianti Classico for a simple dinner at home, and I told him to go and pick something from my celllar. He found a bottle of 1997 Antinori Solaia.

The Cabernet Sauvignon-based red with a touch of Sangiovese is a legend, as most of you know in that vintage. It was even a Wine Spectator Wine of the Year in 2000. I have had it a number of times over the years and it is close to perfection. Not on Friday. L

Francesco decanted it while I was barbecuing and my heart sunk when he said it was corked. “Go find something else in the cellar,” I said, not wanting to think about it.

He came back with a bottle of the same wine. I didn’t know I had two bottles of that wine in the cellar below the kitchen. He decanted it and at first we thought it was fine, but then the slightly minty and ripe fruit character on the nose and palate turned to cardboard. I was really sad to say the least.

I told him to find something else, while trying to keep a smiling face.

A few days later a wine merchant friend said he sold a customer three bottles of 1990 Henri Jayer Cros-Parantoux, and all three were corked when opened for a dinner. He had to take the bottles back.

I am not sure it made me feel any better about my Solaias.