Drinkable Boxed Wine At Rimping?

[amexpat]

The gold standard is obsolete.

[beb]

Buy a bottled wine. Boxes have a plastic coating So why drink water with a wine taste with a plastic finish?

I'm not a wine expert. That's why I depend on wine experts to tell me things like this: evidently wine in a box is actually a better container than a bottle. The valve prevents exposure to oxygen, which is a culprit in a lot of wines going bad. But like screw tops and plastic corks, boxed wine suffers from an image problem. The only reason that there isn't better boxed wine is because the better wines worry about their image if they put their wine in boxes.

In fact, this reminds me of another fun fact I heard from a wine expert. The practice of carefully examining the cork is usually for naught and reveals the examiner to be an amateur.

I'll pass on more expert wine facts as they become available.

I'll make sure that I don't hold my breath!!!

The bottle is still the best container for wine and when you think that there is still drinkable wine, in bottles, decades-old, then that speaks for itself. A little bit of air is always evident at the top of a bottled wine and that assists with its ageing process. As regards the box, in order for wine to flow from the valve, then some air has to be "Introduced" to allow it to flow, so at first pouring it has contact with air, hence its gradual decline in quality in the coming weeks.

Plastic corks are often used for the cheaper wines where they are going to be drunk young, because they don't stand the test of time, especially as regards to expansion and contraction which allows air and other organisms into the bottle which can spoil wine. Whereas the traditional cork, although it can suffer from the condition known as being "corked" due to a chemical 2,4,6, Trichloroanisole (thereby tainting the wine), is very flexible as regards expansion and contraction and does stand the test of time provided storage is correct.

Looking at the cork will give you an indication as to how the wine has been stored, how good the cork seal was and in many cases show you the insignia on the cork which will give you some comfort. Probably no need to smell the cork because the smell and taste of the wine will tell you if the wine is "corked".

Screw tops or the "Stelvin closure" as the best ones are known, are very good, however have not really been around long enough and in as many diverse conditions as the cork to know if they have long-term viability. In addition the jury is still out as to whether the very small amount of air which gets through a normal cork and into the wine in a bottle actually assists with its development or in fact hinders it.

Suffice it to say that the centuries-old tradition of using cork, now with better sterilisation methods, is still the tried and trusted methodology. As they would say in the medical profession, it is the "gold standard".

The next time I buy a decades old wine, I'm going to make sure it is in a bottle.

But being the philistine I am, I like a glass or two at night so my wine doesn't have the opportunity to age for long.

I do enjoy the ceremony of being presented the bottle at a restaurant so that I can proclaim to everybody "Yes, that's the wine I ordered!" but I long ago stopped checking the cork for signs of counterfeiting and now depend on the old taste test. If it's gone bad, I'll usually know when I take a sip.

[cloudhopper]

Buy a bottled wine. Boxes have a plastic coating So why drink water with a wine taste with a plastic finish?

I'm not a wine expert. That's why I depend on wine experts to tell me things like this: evidently wine in a box is actually a better container than a bottle. The valve prevents exposure to oxygen, which is a culprit in a lot of wines going bad. But like screw tops and plastic corks, boxed wine suffers from an image problem. The only reason that there isn't better boxed wine is because the better wines worry about their image if they put their wine in boxes.

In fact, this reminds me of another fun fact I heard from a wine expert. The practice of carefully examining the cork is usually for naught and reveals the examiner to be an amateur.

I'll pass on more expert wine facts as they become available.

I'll make sure that I don't hold my breath!!!

The bottle is still the best container for wine and when you think that there is still drinkable wine, in bottles, decades-old, then that speaks for itself. A little bit of air is always evident at the top of a bottled wine and that assists with its ageing process. As regards the box, in order for wine to flow from the valve, then some air has to be "Introduced" to allow it to flow, so at first pouring it has contact with air, hence its gradual decline in quality in the coming weeks.

Plastic corks are often used for the cheaper wines where they are going to be drunk young, because they don't stand the test of time, especially as regards to expansion and contraction which allows air and other organisms into the bottle which can spoil wine. Whereas the traditional cork, although it can suffer from the condition known as being "corked" due to a chemical 2,4,6, Trichloroanisole (thereby tainting the wine), is very flexible as regards expansion and contraction and does stand the test of time provided storage is correct.

Looking at the cork will give you an indication as to how the wine has been stored, how good the cork seal was and in many cases show you the insignia on the cork which will give you some comfort. Probably no need to smell the cork because the smell and taste of the wine will tell you if the wine is "corked".

Screw tops or the "Stelvin closure" as the best ones are known, are very good, however have not really been around long enough and in as many diverse conditions as the cork to know if they have long-term viability. In addition the jury is still out as to whether the very small amount of air which gets through a normal cork and into the wine in a bottle actually assists with its development or in fact hinders it.

Suffice it to say that the centuries-old tradition of using cork, now with better sterilisation methods, is still the tried and trusted methodology. As they would say in the medical profession, it is the "gold standard".

Well in every boxed wine I've seen the inner plastic bag merely collapses as it is emptied and no air ever reaches the wine.

[xylophone]

Buy a bottled wine. Boxes have a plastic coating So why drink water with a wine taste with a plastic finish?

I'm not a wine expert. That's why I depend on wine experts to tell me things like this: evidently wine in a box is actually a better container than a bottle. The valve prevents exposure to oxygen, which is a culprit in a lot of wines going bad. But like screw tops and plastic corks, boxed wine suffers from an image problem. The only reason that there isn't better boxed wine is because the better wines worry about their image if they put their wine in boxes.

In fact, this reminds me of another fun fact I heard from a wine expert. The practice of carefully examining the cork is usually for naught and reveals the examiner to be an amateur.

I'll pass on more expert wine facts as they become available.

I'll make sure that I don't hold my breath!!!

The bottle is still the best container for wine and when you think that there is still drinkable wine, in bottles, decades-old, then that speaks for itself. A little bit of air is always evident at the top of a bottled wine and that assists with its ageing process. As regards the box, in order for wine to flow from the valve, then some air has to be "Introduced" to allow it to flow, so at first pouring it has contact with air, hence its gradual decline in quality in the coming weeks.

Plastic corks are often used for the cheaper wines where they are going to be drunk young, because they don't stand the test of time, especially as regards to expansion and contraction which allows air and other organisms into the bottle which can spoil wine. Whereas the traditional cork, although it can suffer from the condition known as being "corked" due to a chemical 2,4,6, Trichloroanisole (thereby tainting the wine), is very flexible as regards expansion and contraction and does stand the test of time provided storage is correct.

Looking at the cork will give you an indication as to how the wine has been stored, how good the cork seal was and in many cases show you the insignia on the cork which will give you some comfort. Probably no need to smell the cork because the smell and taste of the wine will tell you if the wine is "corked".

Screw tops or the "Stelvin closure" as the best ones are known, are very good, however have not really been around long enough and in as many diverse conditions as the cork to know if they have long-term viability. In addition the jury is still out as to whether the very small amount of air which gets through a normal cork and into the wine in a bottle actually assists with its development or in fact hinders it.

Suffice it to say that the centuries-old tradition of using cork, now with better sterilisation methods, is still the tried and trusted methodology. As they would say in the medical profession, it is the "gold standard".

Well in every boxed wine I've seen the inner plastic bag merely collapses as it is emptied and no air ever reaches the wine.

Quite right, the bag collapses to keep out the air BUT have you ever wondered why a boxed red wine will have a life of say 1 year when unopened, but once it is opened the life is then a matter of weeks?

Air does get in, in small quantities, even permeating the plastic bag over time which is why this method is not suitable for aging fine wines.

I have no problems with box/bag wines and will try the "Bota Box" wine recommended here as my wallet no longer extends to the fine wines of my yesteryear, and the tax is extortionate and storage suspect.

[xylophone]

The gold standard is obsolete.

Still alive and well for the better quality wines, although the Stelvin Closure, rather than the plastic bag may well be the way of the future, and I wouldn't mind one bit................nothing worse than keeping a wine for 10 years and opening it on a special occasion only to find it is "off". Been there, done that and was not a happy man!

[scotinsiam]

Buy a bottled wine. Boxes have a plastic coating So why drink water with a wine taste with a plastic finish?

I'm not a wine expert. That's why I depend on wine experts to tell me things like this: evidently wine in a box is actually a better container than a bottle. The valve prevents exposure to oxygen, which is a culprit in a lot of wines going bad. But like screw tops and plastic corks, boxed wine suffers from an image problem. The only reason that there isn't better boxed wine is because the better wines worry about their image if they put their wine in boxes.

In fact, this reminds me of another fun fact I heard from a wine expert. The practice of carefully examining the cork is usually for naught and reveals the examiner to be an amateur.

I'll pass on more expert wine facts as they become available.

I'll make sure that I don't hold my breath!!!

The bottle is still the best container for wine and when you think that there is still drinkable wine, in bottles, decades-old, then that speaks for itself. A little bit of air is always evident at the top of a bottled wine and that assists with its ageing process. As regards the box, in order for wine to flow from the valve, then some air has to be "Introduced" to allow it to flow, so at first pouring it has contact with air, hence its gradual decline in quality in the coming weeks.

Plastic corks are often used for the cheaper wines where they are going to be drunk young, because they don't stand the test of time, especially as regards to expansion and contraction which allows air and other organisms into the bottle which can spoil wine. Whereas the traditional cork, although it can suffer from the condition known as being "corked" due to a chemical 2,4,6, Trichloroanisole (thereby tainting the wine), is very flexible as regards expansion and contraction and does stand the test of time provided storage is correct.

Looking at the cork will give you an indication as to how the wine has been stored, how good the cork seal was and in many cases show you the insignia on the cork which will give you some comfort. Probably no need to smell the cork because the smell and taste of the wine will tell you if the wine is "corked".

Screw tops or the "Stelvin closure" as the best ones are known, are very good, however have not really been around long enough and in as many diverse conditions as the cork to know if they have long-term viability. In addition the jury is still out as to whether the very small amount of air which gets through a normal cork and into the wine in a bottle actually assists with its development or in fact hinders it.

Suffice it to say that the centuries-old tradition of using cork, now with better sterilisation methods, is still the tried and trusted methodology. As they would say in the medical profession, it is the "gold standard".

The next time I buy a decades old wine, I'm going to make sure it is in a bottle.

But being the philistine I am, I like a glass or two at night so my wine doesn't have the opportunity to age for long.

I do enjoy the ceremony of being presented the bottle at a restaurant so that I can proclaim to everybody "Yes, that's the wine I ordered!" but I long ago stopped checking the cork for signs of counterfeiting and now depend on the old taste test. If it's gone bad, I'll usually know when I take a sip.

Your post reminds me of a story from a few years ago, My GF was a lawyer (Scotland) and we were going to Edinburgh one Friday night to a night out in a new restaurant. Problem advantage was it had no licence to sell alcohol yet so you could take your own.

I was instructed to go get some wine for the night out. When we arrived at the place there were around 20 lawyers and me (Oilfield bum) everyone had a bottle of wine with them and placed it on the table but I also had a spare box of wine (Marks & Spencer) which drew some looks - by the end of the meal everyone was begging me for some!

Not sure if there is a moral in the story but - who gives a shit what anyone else thinks. enjoy your drink!

[Mapguy]

Good story!

[rene123]

Everything is drinkable... it just depends on whether you like the taste.

[jonwilly]

"Wine can spoil with temperature fluctuation be it in bottles or boxes."

Could not agree more.

​Once wine goes over a certain temprature it is spoild and no amount of 'Refrigerating' will cure.

There is some very bad wine sold in CM and oh so many Poor Experts who will drink almost anything.

john

Holy Mother we have a case of Syphalis in the Monestry.

No Problem send to CM they will drink Anything.

[chiang mai]

I dare say that if you were to put all the preceeding posters back into their home country environments and serve them a glass of Rimping Box X wine, in a restaurant, to a man (or lady) they'd call for the manager, not pay their bill and would never return! The bottom line is that there is no such thing as a decent wine in a box in Thailand and I've certainly tried them all at least five times, the transporation to Thailand, the heat and the handling do strange things to the stuff and it simply doesn't work. Last week I spotted for the first time a box of Almaden and I had a sip the other night, it was surprisingly good by comparison to everything else I've tasted here. But Almaden used to be only one half step above Boones Farm on the wine connesewers (sic) list of all time grates (sic) so what does that tell you about my tatste buds today!

[Saan]

Buy a bottled wine. Boxes have a plastic coating So why drink water with a wine taste with a plastic finish?

I'm not a wine expert. That's why I depend on wine experts to tell me things like this: evidently wine in a box is actually a better container than a bottle. The valve prevents exposure to oxygen, which is a culprit in a lot of wines going bad. But like screw tops and plastic corks, boxed wine suffers from an image problem. The only reason that there isn't better boxed wine is because the better wines worry about their image if they put their wine in boxes.

In fact, this reminds me of another fun fact I heard from a wine expert. The practice of carefully examining the cork is usually for naught and reveals the examiner to be an amateur.

I'll pass on more expert wine facts as they become available.

I'll make sure that I don't hold my breath!!!

The bottle is still the best container for wine and when you think that there is still drinkable wine, in bottles, decades-old, then that speaks for itself. A little bit of air is always evident at the top of a bottled wine and that assists with its ageing process. As regards the box, in order for wine to flow from the valve, then some air has to be "Introduced" to allow it to flow, so at first pouring it has contact with air, hence its gradual decline in quality in the coming weeks.

Plastic corks are often used for the cheaper wines where they are going to be drunk young, because they don't stand the test of time, especially as regards to expansion and contraction which allows air and other organisms into the bottle which can spoil wine. Whereas the traditional cork, although it can suffer from the condition known as being "corked" due to a chemical 2,4,6, Trichloroanisole (thereby tainting the wine), is very flexible as regards expansion and contraction and does stand the test of time provided storage is correct.

Looking at the cork will give you an indication as to how the wine has been stored, how good the cork seal was and in many cases show you the insignia on the cork which will give you some comfort. Probably no need to smell the cork because the smell and taste of the wine will tell you if the wine is "corked".

Screw tops or the "Stelvin closure" as the best ones are known, are very good, however have not really been around long enough and in as many diverse conditions as the cork to know if they have long-term viability. In addition the jury is still out as to whether the very small amount of air which gets through a normal cork and into the wine in a bottle actually assists with its development or in fact hinders it.

Suffice it to say that the centuries-old tradition of using cork, now with better sterilisation methods, is still the tried and trusted methodology. As they would say in the medical profession, it is the "gold standard".

Gold standard it might be but a very expensive one as wine growers were loosing 10 per cent of their output to corkage. Anyway it is too late to turn the wheel back as Portugal, where the best cork came from, has pulled out vast numbers of their cork trees. So great has this clearance been that it is said it has changed the eco-system of Portugal.

[xylophone]

Buy a bottled wine. Boxes have a plastic coating So why drink water with a wine taste with a plastic finish?

I'm not a wine expert. That's why I depend on wine experts to tell me things like this: evidently wine in a box is actually a better container than a bottle. The valve prevents exposure to oxygen, which is a culprit in a lot of wines going bad. But like screw tops and plastic corks, boxed wine suffers from an image problem. The only reason that there isn't better boxed wine is because the better wines worry about their image if they put their wine in boxes.

In fact, this reminds me of another fun fact I heard from a wine expert. The practice of carefully examining the cork is usually for naught and reveals the examiner to be an amateur.

I'll pass on more expert wine facts as they become available.

I'll make sure that I don't hold my breath!!!

The bottle is still the best container for wine and when you think that there is still drinkable wine, in bottles, decades-old, then that speaks for itself. A little bit of air is always evident at the top of a bottled wine and that assists with its ageing process. As regards the box, in order for wine to flow from the valve, then some air has to be "Introduced" to allow it to flow, so at first pouring it has contact with air, hence its gradual decline in quality in the coming weeks.

Plastic corks are often used for the cheaper wines where they are going to be drunk young, because they don't stand the test of time, especially as regards to expansion and contraction which allows air and other organisms into the bottle which can spoil wine. Whereas the traditional cork, although it can suffer from the condition known as being "corked" due to a chemical 2,4,6, Trichloroanisole (thereby tainting the wine), is very flexible as regards expansion and contraction and does stand the test of time provided storage is correct.

Looking at the cork will give you an indication as to how the wine has been stored, how good the cork seal was and in many cases show you the insignia on the cork which will give you some comfort. Probably no need to smell the cork because the smell and taste of the wine will tell you if the wine is "corked".

Screw tops or the "Stelvin closure" as the best ones are known, are very good, however have not really been around long enough and in as many diverse conditions as the cork to know if they have long-term viability. In addition the jury is still out as to whether the very small amount of air which gets through a normal cork and into the wine in a bottle actually assists with its development or in fact hinders it.

Suffice it to say that the centuries-old tradition of using cork, now with better sterilisation methods, is still the tried and trusted methodology. As they would say in the medical profession, it is the "gold standard".

Gold standard it might be but a very expensive one as wine growers were loosing 10 per cent of their output to corkage. Anyway it is too late to turn the wheel back as Portugal, where the best cork came from, has pulled out vast numbers of their cork trees. So great has this clearance been that it is said it has changed the eco-system of Portugal.

Yes, I did see that figure of 10% quoted a few times, however I believe that has come down somewhat in the past few years with a better understanding of what causes the "corked" taste in a wine, the majority of which is caused by the chemical,2-4-6 trichloroanisol. although this chemical can come from processes within the production of wine, the main source is the cork, either through poor sterilisation methods or as a result of chemicals getting into the cork bark itself.

New methods have been tried and I think it's either ozone or oxygen bleaching which seems to be the new way to go.

As has been said, cork has proven itself to be the best form of closure over centuries and that will be hard to beat. Although I like the Stelvin closure I wonder just how long they would last if the wines were being laid down in a typical French underground cellar, where the black and grey mould on the walls and ceilings of the cellars can be many inches thick, and can coat the tops of the bottles, especially if there has been some moisture present. I really don't know how the metal in the screw tops would cope with decades of this?

Finally, I think if an ecosystem was built around one particular tree, and that tree was mainly used to produce one product (i.e. cork), then one would have thought that every care would have been taken to be able to ensure the quality of the output, which seems to have been lacking in some cases and caused the wine industry to look at other methods of sealing bottles. Having said that, who is to know what will happen if these Stelvin closures fail the cellar storage test.............back to the good old cork, with hopefully enough cork oaks left to cope with demand!!

[jingjoke]

Image over taste seems to be the theme in 'hi-so' Thai housing estates where the empty wine bottles are arranged ever so nonchalantly at the homes' entrance ways in full view of passing vehicular traffic. Stacked empty wine boxes would be so ...'je ne sais quoi' - pedestrian?

[Saan]

I agree heat can be a killer to wine. I knew a wine merchant in Melbourne, Australia, who was getting short on wine following a run of 40 degrees plus weather. One semi load had come down from the vineyards and had not survived the journey so other deliveries were cancelled until the weather cooled.

If you see a box of Jacob's Creek, an Australian wine, grab it. It is a constantly good old quaffer that is fairly reasonably priced.

[xylophone]

I dare say that if you were to put all the preceeding posters back into their home country environments and serve them a glass of Rimping Box X wine, in a restaurant, to a man (or lady) they'd call for the manager, not pay their bill and would never return! The bottom line is that there is no such thing as a decent wine in a box in Thailand and I've certainly tried them all at least five times, the transporation to Thailand, the heat and the handling do strange things to the stuff and it simply doesn't work. Last week I spotted for the first time a box of Almaden and I had a sip the other night, it was surprisingly good by comparison to everything else I've tasted here. But Almaden used to be only one half step above Boones Farm on the wine connesewers (sic) list of all time grates (sic) so what does that tell you about my tatste buds today!

I'm afraid the "Rimping Box X" wine is lost on me as I haven't seen anything like that around here. Nor have I tried the Almaden, although I am not necessarily keen on the cheaper wines from the USA as they tend to be a little "sweet" for my palate.

I still believe the best box wine I have tasted here is the Chilean wine, "Bodegas Centenarias" Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot and I have noticed a few other folk on other wine threads have said likewise.

Yes, transportation and storage is a problem here, however much that can be overcome with refrigerated containers and for wine to be completely spoilt with heat, it really has to be kept at a fairly high temperature for a few days and I can't for the life of me remember the temperature at which it will be pretty well beyond redemption -- - - somewhere over 40° C perhaps? (remember that some red wine in its fermentation process can reach temperatures of up to 35° C).

As for tastebuds, as I can't afford now what I used to be able to afford, especially living in Thailand, whatever the tastebuds tasted, the memory has locked away so I can sometimes dream about those wonderful tastes. But can't take the chance of buying fine wine here because of storage and spoilage and of course there is no way that you can convince a shop to take the wine back if it is off............although I have succeeded on two occasions, but now I've decided it is not worth the hassle.

Edited June 17, 2013 by xylophone

[sharktooth]

Buy a bottled wine. Boxes have a plastic coating So why drink water with a wine taste with a plastic finish?

I'm not a wine expert. That's why I depend on wine experts to tell me things like this: evidently wine in a box is actually a better container than a bottle. The valve prevents exposure to oxygen, which is a culprit in a lot of wines going bad. But like screw tops and plastic corks, boxed wine suffers from an image problem. The only reason that there isn't better boxed wine is because the better wines worry about their image if they put their wine in boxes.

In fact, this reminds me of another fun fact I heard from a wine expert. The practice of carefully examining the cork is usually for naught and reveals the examiner to be an amateur.

I'll pass on more expert wine facts as they become available.

I'll make sure that I don't hold my breath!!!

The bottle is still the best container for wine and when you think that there is still drinkable wine, in bottles, decades-old, then that speaks for itself. A little bit of air is always evident at the top of a bottled wine and that assists with its ageing process. As regards the box, in order for wine to flow from the valve, then some air has to be "Introduced" to allow it to flow, so at first pouring it has contact with air, hence its gradual decline in quality in the coming weeks.

Plastic corks are often used for the cheaper wines where they are going to be drunk young, because they don't stand the test of time, especially as regards to expansion and contraction which allows air and other organisms into the bottle which can spoil wine. Whereas the traditional cork, although it can suffer from the condition known as being "corked" due to a chemical 2,4,6, Trichloroanisole (thereby tainting the wine), is very flexible as regards expansion and contraction and does stand the test of time provided storage is correct.

Looking at the cork will give you an indication as to how the wine has been stored, how good the cork seal was and in many cases show you the insignia on the cork which will give you some comfort. Probably no need to smell the cork because the smell and taste of the wine will tell you if the wine is "corked".

Screw tops or the "Stelvin closure" as the best ones are known, are very good, however have not really been around long enough and in as many diverse conditions as the cork to know if they have long-term viability. In addition the jury is still out as to whether the very small amount of air which gets through a normal cork and into the wine in a bottle actually assists with its development or in fact hinders it.

Suffice it to say that the centuries-old tradition of using cork, now with better sterilisation methods, is still the tried and trusted methodology. As they would say in the medical profession, it is the "gold standard".

The next time I buy a decades old wine, I'm going to make sure it is in a bottle.

But being the philistine I am, I like a glass or two at night so my wine doesn't have the opportunity to age for long.

I do enjoy the ceremony of being presented the bottle at a restaurant so that I can proclaim to everybody "Yes, that's the wine I ordered!" but I long ago stopped checking the cork for signs of counterfeiting and now depend on the old taste test. If it's gone bad, I'll usually know when I take a sip.

Your post reminds me of a story from a few years ago, My GF was a lawyer (Scotland) and we were going to Edinburgh one Friday night to a night out in a new restaurant. Problem advantage was it had no licence to sell alcohol yet so you could take your own.

I was instructed to go get some wine for the night out. When we arrived at the place there were around 20 lawyers and me (Oilfield bum) everyone had a bottle of wine with them and placed it on the table but I also had a spare box of wine (Marks & Spencer) which drew some looks - by the end of the meal everyone was begging me for some!

Not sure if there is a moral in the story but - who gives a shit what anyone else thinks. enjoy your drink!

Oilfield bum. I can relate to that

Thicker skin you'll never find!

Good on you for putting your knackers on the table.

[CMKiwi]

..down another notch:

My women are like my wine: I can only afford the really cheap ones that have the big, ugly boxes that leak.

Whaoooooh....... thats a bit below the belt, but funny as hell. Ill stop laughing soon

[Palmeiras]

Buy a bottled wine. Boxes have a plastic coating So why drink water with a wine taste with a plastic finish?

I'm not a wine expert. That's why I depend on wine experts to tell me things like this: evidently wine in a box is actually a better container than a bottle. The valve prevents exposure to oxygen, which is a culprit in a lot of wines going bad. But like screw tops and plastic corks, boxed wine suffers from an image problem. The only reason that there isn't better boxed wine is because the better wines worry about their image if they put their wine in boxes.

In fact, this reminds me of another fun fact I heard from a wine expert. The practice of carefully examining the cork is usually for naught and reveals the examiner to be an amateur.

I'll pass on more expert wine facts as they become available.

I'll make sure that I don't hold my breath!!!

The bottle is still the best container for wine and when you think that there is still drinkable wine, in bottles, decades-old, then that speaks for itself. A little bit of air is always evident at the top of a bottled wine and that assists with its ageing process. As regards the box, in order for wine to flow from the valve, then some air has to be "Introduced" to allow it to flow, so at first pouring it has contact with air, hence its gradual decline in quality in the coming weeks.

Plastic corks are often used for the cheaper wines where they are going to be drunk young, because they don't stand the test of time, especially as regards to expansion and contraction which allows air and other organisms into the bottle which can spoil wine. Whereas the traditional cork, although it can suffer from the condition known as being "corked" due to a chemical 2,4,6, Trichloroanisole (thereby tainting the wine), is very flexible as regards expansion and contraction and does stand the test of time provided storage is correct.

Looking at the cork will give you an indication as to how the wine has been stored, how good the cork seal was and in many cases show you the insignia on the cork which will give you some comfort. Probably no need to smell the cork because the smell and taste of the wine will tell you if the wine is "corked".

Screw tops or the "Stelvin closure" as the best ones are known, are very good, however have not really been around long enough and in as many diverse conditions as the cork to know if they have long-term viability. In addition the jury is still out as to whether the very small amount of air which gets through a normal cork and into the wine in a bottle actually assists with its development or in fact hinders it.

Suffice it to say that the centuries-old tradition of using cork, now with better sterilisation methods, is still the tried and trusted methodology. As they would say in the medical profession, it is the "gold standard".

Gold standard it might be but a very expensive one as wine growers were loosing 10 per cent of their output to corkage. Anyway it is too late to turn the wheel back as Portugal, where the best cork came from, has pulled out vast numbers of their cork trees. So great has this clearance been that it is said it has changed the eco-system of Portugal.

Wines do not react with cork to produce an adverse taste (corked). A minimum of 5% of all wines sold are "off" because of oxidisation. This happens irrespective of whether the wine stopper is cork, plastic or screw top.

Cork remains a staple export industry for Portugal. It is true that they have suffered recently from increased competition in the form of cheaper screw tops and plastic "corks" but there has been no move to run the industry down intentionally. They remain leading producers of wine bottle corks, including the layer of the two part champagne cork which makes contact with the wine..

[xylophone]

Quote Palmeiras: "Wines do not react with cork to produce an adverse taste (corked). A minimum of 5% of all wines sold are "off" because of oxidisation. This happens irrespective of whether the wine stopper is cork, plastic or screw top.

Cork remains a staple export industry for Portugal. It is true that they have suffered recently from increased competition in the form of cheaper screw tops and plastic "corks" but there has been no move to run the industry down intentionally. They remain leading producers of wine bottle corks, including the layer of the two part champagne cork which makes contact with the wine".

Have to disagree with your comment, "Wines do not react with cork to produce an adverse taste (corked)" because they certainly do. The process of sterilising the cork, along with pesticide residues in the cork oak bark can lead to the formation of a chemical 2-4-6 Trichloroanisole, which is responsible for tainting the wine and the term "corked". Oxidised wine is not referred to as "corked" in general.

Mute point as to whether the wine "reacts" with the cork, but it is certainly affected by its interaction with a faulty cork, as stated above.

Edited June 18, 2013 by xylophone

[luther]

I agree heat can be a killer to wine. I knew a wine merchant in Melbourne, Australia, who was getting short on wine following a run of 40 degrees plus weather. One semi load had come down from the vineyards and had not survived the journey so other deliveries were cancelled until the weather cooled.

If you see a box of Jacob's Creek, an Australian wine, grab it. It is a constantly good old quaffer that is fairly reasonably priced.

I noticed a box of Jacob's Creek at Makro. Was it 10 liters or 15 liters? Three thousand and something baht.

[binjalin]

start with a nice red the onto Mont Clair as you won't know the difference as you slide from quality to quantity