Burghound #43: “In some ways, it saddens me to think that in the ten and one-half years that Burghound.com has existed, I have been writing about this subject for fully nine of them. I fervently wish that I could report that a solution to this most vexing of wine problems had been found or even that a potential breakthrough was near. Unfortunately, I cannot do this.”
Allen Meadows goes on to say the 2009 vintage style generally allows for early drinking, which he observes is the only way to avoid premox (before 5 years of age).
But there is another way to avoid premox… Don’t buy 'em.
I’ve pretty much stopped buying. I’m tired of opening bottles earlier than I should, and still finding them premoxed or starting on the path. Had some awful experiences with Fontaine-Gagnard – heartbreaking. And a recent 2004 Bouchard Corton Charlemagne was showing early signs (fortunately the second bottle was lovely). But I shouldn’t even feel the need to open them yet. Oh well. Good thing there are other wines to buy!
I have a bad run with Fontaine and Blain Gagnard, Sauzet, Patrick Javellier, Bonneau du Martray, Clos de Lambrays, Fevre, few of the Bouchard 2006, etc
I am not a buyer of white Burgundy right now, apart from an occasional bottle very infrequently. I have sold a lot of white burgundy at Auction. I will polish most of the remainder in the next 4 years.
Does Allen elaborate on the latest “thinking” on the subject: causes, soulutions, things people are trying, etc…?
Had a shot '97 Corton Charlie Sunday…but… i think I mishandled it at some point, as the others in that group had been fine…but…the problem is omnipresent-- on my mind.
in any random pattern…or each one within a bottling, Bill?
What’s your latest thinking on the cause…and whether anyone there’s really thinking about the issue?
Certainly, the closures are not the underlying cause or solution, IMO…something is clearly faulty in the wines, making them more vulnerable. I thought it might be the gentler pressing…until I read recently that Coche’s wines are increasingly problematic.
There’s no new thinking Stuart, save the ‘browning’ of musts during pressing being the way to go for a few.
Both were small producers scratching their heads at screw-capped oxidations. Not a statistically meaningful sample, but likewise emphasises that screwcap is not the ‘magic bullet.’
I’m still a buyer, but try to avoid the producers that are in the ‘high risk’ group. I’ve been pretty lucky (knock on wood), but just love white burgs too much to give them up completely.
I take some solace and a see a ray of hope in what Meadows says… “Yes, the ameliorative steps taken to date are undoubtedly beneficial on the margin so that the failure rate from 2005 forward will probably be less than the 1995 to 2004 period. But less bad does not mean good …”
Bill,
That’s interesting, particularly if it refers to more than just a couple of bottles because that really does point the finger at the fragility of what went into those bottles i.e. the winemaking as a primary cause with the concerns about the bottling line and oxygen levels in the bottled wine also pushed towards the front of the long queue of ‘the usual suspects’.
Put another way, if those screwcaps were sound, it suggests that in the more general situation of cork-closed bottles the cork quality/cork treatments [causing an inadequate seal] are not as likely to be the main problem generally as some have claimed - obviously couldn’t be in the situation you describe since the closures were screwcaps.
I suspect that producers can have wines that show well young and get big scores or they can have wines that avoid premox. I don’t think they can have both.
It seems that eliminating corks as a possible source of the problem would be a significant advance in knowledge. Would be interesting to know the details of their production. That is, if I were taking the time seriously research this issue. I’m more in gadfly mode.
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