I'm curious...what causes variances in flavor and composition of a wine between bottles? I had a wonderful Napa cab in New York for my 5th aniversary. My wife and I liked it so much that I tracked it down and bought a couple more. Last night, I opened it expecting similar flavors and aromas and was greeted with HEAT...lots of it. The alcohol level was off the chart and the beautiful bouquet was nowhere to be found. Even after significant breathing, this bottle did not have the same character. So, what's the deal?

Might have been cooked. I believe that is the largest factor in bottle variation that I've experienced. Some stores don't take care of their bottles.

Buyer beware. A friend of mine is the wine buyer for a wine shop chain that has nine stores in the twin cities and he sells wine he has recently tasted most notably white burgundies from the mid to late 1990's that he thought were oxidized but they were still on the shelf being sold.