Large Format Tasting Question

I purchased a 6L of '96 Pichon Baron for a party in early December. When the wine finally arrived stateside, the seller very appropriately called to tell me there was a wax issue and prior leakage at some point. They sent pictures (below), minimal ullage and offered a significant credit if I still wanted the bottle, which I accepted and applied to a backup bottle of '95 Montrose. The party will be at a lake house so I would like to just take the PB down about a week ahead of time. My question is, do you think I could open the wine a week or so ahead of time, try a small glass and then re-cork assuming the cork is in decent shape? Given the pictures, what do you think the odds are that the wine is sound? Thanks.

The condition of the wax would not bother me. The condition of the cork, if there are signs of leaking, low fill, would be of concern. My guess is that the bottle is fine. If you pull the cork to taste you may be able to put it back in upside down. If not, you can use several layer of plastic wrap. Good luck with the bottle. Let us know how it was.

You can definitely pull the cork and get a few ounces out without aerating the wine any more than might have happened due to the leaking. I would recommend putting a silicone stopper back into the bottle instead of the original cork. I don’t like reintroducing the cork back into the bottle, just in case the top of the cork has some sort of bacteria on it.

I also wouldn’t sweat the leakage, based on the fill level of the bottle. It’s not unusual for overfilled bottles or large formats like this to leak a wee bit of wine due to pressure on the cork. In this instance, there isn’t air introduced into the bottle. I can’t speak to the phenomenon that causes this result. I just know that it happens.

Oh, by the way, when and were should I be for the party? I’ll be in your neck of the woods next week.

Thank you both, very helpful.

Yeah, the wine should be fine.

I just wanted to comment that you should post this picture over in the bourbon thread. I’m assuming that the picture is recent and taken at a package store in TN. If so, there’s clearly a plethora of fine bourbon selections in TN as I have attested to others over the years. Granted I can’t decipher the prices, but I see Eagle Rare, Blantons, Weller Special Reserve, Stagg Jr., Buffalo Trace, etc. And I would keep the package store location a secret, less someone’s honey hole gets plundered by the taters.

James

Those w/ a Coravin… would that work here for the OP? Doesn’t look like the cork is too deep - more about whether the clasps can grip the bottle, no?

James, it is actually from store in midtown, Manhattan, not Chattanooga, not much demand for imperials around these parts.

Unfortunately, without taking off the bottle holder “wings”, the diameter of the bottle neck prevents me from using the coravin. I know it will work with mags, I think I have used it to taste a 3L before but it was a stretch.

I would be a little concerned about opening a 25 yr old bottle a week in advance of a tasting. If slow “Andouze” were to occur a week out - might miss the magic. The cork would likely at least degrade somewhat during opening. But sounds like a great time, enjoy!

Thanks for the clarification. Yeah, I didn’t think about the imperial aspect with regards to your location. As a TN native, NYC definitely makes more sense.

I would open it in the morning and decant using a syphon.

My experience is that really big bottles often seep as the are (a) frequently overfilled and (b) I guess there’s more pressure on the cork given the bigger volume of wine. They don’t travel well. So I wouldn’t be too worried, given the level.

Large formats also tend to leak more frequently as they’re hand cut corks with hand filled bottles, etc.
I had a heavily discounted 1998 6L Chapoutier Hermitage that I rolled the dice on buying as it was leaking, didn’t matter, still brilliant.
Also the amount of wine potentially exposed to oxygen in the neck is comparatively much smaller than a 750.
Hopefully it’s in good shape!

I wouldn’t open any wine a week ahead of pouring it, other than maybe certain fortified and dessert type wines.

Well, I wouldn´t open the bottle a week in advance, it could be sound now and still be slightly oxidized after the week.
1-2 days in advance would be ok.

It is hard to say but it looks as if the cork might have been pushed up due to (too) warm shipping.
The wine still can be good, but maybe not as fine as it should be - and a week of oxidation might do it no good.
Open it 24-36 hours in advance - with a backup at hand -

So, opened last night for the party on Friday and the wine was/is sound! Cork was moist but came out easily and intact. Poured a glass and monitored over a couple of hours. Wine started out a little muted on the nose, then had some damp earth, then that started to blow off as well. It definitely put on weight over the two hours, wish I would have poured a bigger glass and monitored it over four! Now, the debate comes for Friday how early to decant it. I actually bought a 9L decanter. I am thinking four hours ahead of dinner which will probably be six hours before it is served with the main course. Too long or too short? I actually could have put the cork back into the bottle but you may laugh, I chose to wrap a rubber band around the top edge of a Repour so it would seal and it would absorb the O2 out of the head space. Either cork or Repour, I don’t imagine it will do much aging over three days. Thanks again to all for your help.