Is TCA in corks going down?

[Andy Velebil]

Ran across this article today and, while not Port specific, though it would make for a good short read for those interested.

How has your rates of TCA infected bottles been lately for newer released wines/Ports?

https://www.northwestwinereport.com/202 ... ot-more.html

[Eric Menchen]

With the trailing ml:
https://www.northwestwinereport.com/202 ... -more.html

[Eric Menchen]

Perhaps more importantly, in 2021, Amorim, the world’s largest supplier of closures, announced that it had added a step to its production that would eliminate cork taint from all of its corks.

Even if a cork leaves Amorim free of TCA, that doesn't guarantee that it can't be introduced at the winery.

[Glenn E.]

Perhaps more importantly, in 2021, Amorim, the world’s largest supplier of closures, announced that it had added a step to its production that would eliminate cork taint from all of its corks.

Even if a cork leaves Amorim free of TCA, that doesn't guarantee that it can't be introduced at the winery.

True, but a winery infection is rarer than a cork infection, and typically is a byproduct of an earlier cork infection. So Amorim's TCA-free corks should go a long way toward eliminating this scourge and my superpower will be far less useful.

[Eric Menchen]

True, but a winery infection is rarer than a cork infection, and typically is a byproduct of an earlier cork infection. So Amorim's TCA-free corks should go a long way toward eliminating this scourge and my superpower will be far less useful.

Agreed. I wonder what percent happens at the winery. 5%, 1%?

[Andy Velebil]

True, but a winery infection is rarer than a cork infection, and typically is a byproduct of an earlier cork infection. So Amorim's TCA-free corks should go a long way toward eliminating this scourge and my superpower will be far less useful.

Agreed. I wonder what percent happens at the winery. 5%, 1%?

After a couple well known wineries got called out publicly by a well known wine review magazine for their winery infection and what it did to many of their wines, wineries are a whole Lot more careful now.

I would be curious too as to what approximate percentage still happens due to issues internally at a winery and not the cork.

[Frederick Blais]

Cork TCA is definitively going down. I remember when I started drinking and collecting wines over 20 years ago, I would get one bottle corked per 2 weeks minimum.

It was easily 3-5% of faulty wines. Nowadays, from what I drink, I'd say less than 1%.

Yes wineries can introduce the flaw. Actually, recently, I've withness a winery filtering/cleaning a wine having TCA from a bad barrel. I could not detect it once it was ''cleaned''. So progress are being made both ways!

[Andy Velebil]

Cork TCA is definitively going down. I remember when I started drinking and collecting wines over 20 years ago, I would get one bottle corked per 2 weeks minimum.

It was easily 3-5% of faulty wines. Nowadays, from what I drink, I'd say less than 1%.

Yes wineries can introduce the flaw. Actually, recently, I've withness a winery filtering/cleaning a wine having TCA from a bad barrel. I could not detect it once it was ''cleaned''. So progress are being made both ways!

Out of curiosity, How does one “clean” a wine that has TCA?

[Frederick Blais]

I don't remember the name of the product, but you add it to the wine and mix. I was in a winery, the barrel was smelling TCA, it is was contaminated. The winemaker offered me a glass and asked me if there was anything wrong with the wine. I said ''nothing wrong, but it is not a great wine''. Then he explained he was able to save the wine. I'll try to find out more.

[Andy Velebil]

I don't remember the name of the product, but you add it to the wine and mix. I was in a winery, the barrel was smelling TCA, it is was contaminated. The winemaker offered me a glass and asked me if there was anything wrong with the wine. I said ''nothing wrong, but it is not a great wine''. Then he explained he was able to save the wine. I'll try to find out more.

That’s cool. Didn’t know there was such a thing. I have no issues with it. I’d assume that barrel would be blended away into something less expensive to salvage some of the cost of the barrel, which would otherwise be dumped.

Hopefully you can find out more info.

I did find this https://www.vafiltration.com/services/c ... t-removal/

[Moses Botbol]

Yes wineries can introduce the flaw. Actually, recently, I've witness a winery filtering/cleaning a wine having TCA from a bad barrel. I could not detect it once it was ''cleaned''. So progress are being made both ways!

They sprayed the barrel with Pooph

[Phil W]

They sprayed the barrel with Pooph

Is this your explanation as to why tawny goes golden brown with age?

[Andy Velebil]

They sprayed the barrel with Pooph

Is this your explanation as to why tawny goes golden brown with age?