Wondering what your policies regarding wines that are listed online as having signs of seepage. Sometimes the prices seem quite attractive. Is it worth taking the gamble? For those that have, have the wines been compromised? Are there certain types of wines that seem to fair better? This must have been covered before but I couldn’t find a good discussion of this topic. Thanks!
In general I’d be wary and only buy if at a suitable discount. Absolutely best to check in person to judge the risk/value.
The one scenario that may justifiably give greater confidence, is a wine still with a normal to high fill. What might be labelled as seepage, may have been an overly high fill on the bottling line.
Types of bottle that fair better? Younger wines I’d say, though seepage could also point to heat damage, so caution again required.
Never, intentionally.
I did, however, recently just buy three bottles of 1985 Chateau Trotanoy, And one of them was disclosed as a leaker. I was rather annoyed with myself for having missed that disclosure, admittedly it was written on down at the bottom of the page. I guess with the pricing I got, if two of three show well, I will be happy.
I’d be suspicious of a riesling that didn’t have seepage. Seems so often, though I kid.
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Port often seems to, or at least I seem to see it a lot. Doesn’t bother me all that much with that but I steer clear of other wines. Even if it’s a deal, the risk adjusted return isn’t very good.
Madeira.
I avoid them 100%
A few years ago, I bought some 1995 Fritz Haag Auslese at auction that all had seepage. And yet the levels were only just below the cork, looks like an overfill situation.
Every bottle has been fantastic, so yes I would buy bottles with seepage (only if they are German Rieslings)
brodie
It all comes down to the risk vs cost for item. The only wines I have taken the risk with are reds and never a leaky pinot noir. Several properties to observe before taking the risk. What’s the varietal? Is it an old wine? Is the cork pushed out? Is the cork totally soaked? What’s the ullage like? How transparent is the liquid? Is it from a good maker in a good year? Also what are the previous reports on this wine? And lastly who’s the seller and do they have a reasonable return policy if you take the risk? If a lot of this does not add up then walk away as there is too much good wine out there to acquire and enjoy. Cheers!
Funny you mention that because so far the only bottles I’ve received with evidence of seepage have all been older Rieslings.
As others have mentioned, only with Port and Madeira. For all other wine, its probably the #1 deterrent for me when it comes to auction purchases. Just not worth the gamble for the most part.
It doesn’t concern me with Riesling. I bought a bottle of Port with seepage but have yet to open it.
Isolated riesling bottles don’t bother me. If it’s an entire connection, a la the current Winebid riesling dump, I tend to stay away
Like others have mentioned, Port is the only one I consider doing it. I bought a 1970 Dow Port with disclosed seepage because I was running out of time to source a pristine example. Drank very well last year.
I buy mostly reds at auction - Barolo, Burgundy, Bordeaux, Rhônes. And seepage is one of my ‘don’t buy’ keys. Others are protruding or depressed corks. Plenty of good condition bottles to bid on.
A few years ago I saw an 87 Dunn HM with minimal seepage. At the time they were going for 200 to 250. I was able to get this one on auction for $165 and took my chances. It was fine
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Same with a Pichon Baron 1990 for $125, four years ago.
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I consigned several vintages of older - 80s and 90s - Dunn HM to an auction several years ago. I had moved the wines from my 55 degree storage room to my living room, maybe 72 degrees, for boxing before they were picked up for shipment to the auction house. In the course of an hour or two, the wine had warmed and expanded enough that several of the bottles started seeping under the wax. Having purchased the wines directly from Dunn on release and storing them properly since then, I was still comfortable sending the wines to auction. The wines were cataloged with the notation “signs of recent seepage”, but the photographs showed excellent fills and the wax was still intact, indicating the cork hadn’t pushed a bit. The cork’s seal was obviously compromised to some extent, though, and in my view, the wines wouldn’t be good candidates for further extended aging. On the other hand, I’m confident the buyers got a fine bottle that was representative of a 20-30 year old Dunn HM.
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Avoid unless…
… German Riesling and other bottlings known for leaks (e.g. Leroy, not that I’m buying any these days)
Eliminating them from consideration is an easy way to cut down on my buying.