So I have this old Bordeaux (1990 Haut Marbuzet) that I bout at an auction. About to stand it so I can try it this coming week-end when I notice that the level of wine in the bottle is really high. Almost touching the cork. I also noticed that the plastic cover that covers he cork is puffing out (cork doesn't seem to be sticking out though). Not sure if that has to do anything with the level of wine. Any idea what I could be looking at? Fake bottle that was filled too much? Wine that's gone bad (not sure why the wine would expand to almost touch the cork)? Or just something odd and the wine might be just fine?

Once you open it, try it and report back here then we'll all know!

Will do but since it was only one of the three I bought that looked like that, I decided to stand one that looks fine. I don't want to be disappointed this week-end! Althouh all came from the same place so...

I figured you would probably have a back-up plan. May the strange-looking one show well so that you still have two more!

sounds like heat damage or extreme temp swings.

I think you can rule out fake. That wine's not worth enough to warrant the trouble it takes to do that. I hope you paid under about $100 for it.

Despite the fact that 1990 is a great vintage, H-Marbuzet is at best a pretty average St Estephe. I can't account for the high fill level, but to me this is the kind of wine that will either provide a nice drinking experience at a not-unreasonable price, or it's not very good but still didn't cost a lot of money for a 20+ year-old wine, which means you'll get to talk about it a bit with your friends. I don't mind occasionally taking those chances with older wines under a few hundred dollars, but everyone's tolerance level is different.

I hope your bottle provides you with enough enjoyment to make you feel OK about how much you paid for it.

I hope it turns out well, and don't discount the wine ahead of time just because it's not from a high end chateau.

A couple of years ago some friends and I went through a ten year vertical of Chateau Lanessan, a sub $20 bottle at today's prices. The lineup started at 1959, included a few from the 1970s then the 1990s and 2000s. Other than one corked and one bad bottle (both of which there were backups for that showed better) all of them showed well, including the 1959 which was past peak but still very enjoyable. It was pretty surprising how enjoyable they were. Someone speculated only half jokingly that a couple of them were fakes, but it's not a wine worth faking.

It's not exactly uncommon for a bottle to get under- or over-filled. Then it's up to someone to pull the bottle from the line so it can be uncorked and remedied. That's often one person who is checking for problems with the label, fill and capsule while boxing the wines at the rate they are coming down the line. So these things can be missed, especially if minor.

quote:

Originally posted by yhn:
It's not exactly uncommon for a bottle to get under- or over-filled. Then it's up to someone to pull the bottle from the line so it can be uncorked and remedied. That's often one person who is checking for problems with the label, fill and capsule while boxing the wines at the rate they are coming down the line. So these things can be missed, especially if minor.

yea but if the foil is pushed out by the cork and now the cork is back into the neck, that sounds like some pressure change happened in that bottle. Usually a sign of heat damage or extreme temp fluctuations no?

I've never had or seen a 23 year old wine with a fill to just below the cork. Something's amiss here. Agree that it's not a wine that would be worth the trouble to fake. Interested in how it shows.

PH

Could be temp. flux. like others have said. Took a Dunn Howell Mt. to Yosemite years ago and left it in the cabin during a heat wave (I know, I know) and after one day in a HOT cabin the cork was pushed up about 1/2 of an inch. Had the wine later that night and it was drinkable, but not outstanding as it usually can be.