Very Tannic Burgundy - Corked?

[Blue]

Originaly posted this on burgundy, may be more appropriate here though:

I need advice. Although I am originally French, I have only recently began to try to really learn about wine.
A few months ago I decided to introduce my gf to wine. One of the first things that I did was to buy a bottle of Bordeau (Medoc) and a bottle of Burgundy (Appelation Bourgogne, produced in the Cotes de Beaume region, but not carrying that appelation). Each bottle cost me just under $20. Each bottle was from 1996.

What was really surprising was that when we opened the Burgundy, its tanins were much stronger than on any bottle of burgundy I have ever tasted. The wine was definately burgundy, with a nice fruity bouquet, but when tasted it left a slightly bitter residue in my mouth more like a young bordeaux or cab sav. It was not enjoyable at all after the first glass. The Bordeaux was about as expected.

What was funny is that when I asked my gf which she liked better, she answered the Bordeaux as it had less tanins.

What do you think happened. The wine didn't seem corked (I would expect a vinegary taste or the like, but I must say I don't have a great deal of experience with this), but it seemed strange. I must also add that in general most of the burgundy that I have drunk in the past has been in a higher price range.

All advice would be appreciated.

NJ

[Thomas]

Blue, you describe what could be tannin (bitterness is the tannic acid trait). Unfortunately, without knowing the exact wine no one will be able to talk about the tannic or lack of tannic quality of the Burgundy you had.

Remember this point: a wine that suffers cork taint will show no fruit; it will smell and taste like a wet rag. With that in mind, the wine you describe was likely not tainted by a bad cork.

[Innkeeper]

It could have been sediment in the neck of the bottle. Pinot is known for its smooth tannin almost from the getgo. The reason for this is its high acidity that also makes it such a great campanion for a wide variety of food. Most French wine is packaged and stored in a horizontal position, which is preferable to the either upside down or wrongside up (take your pick) of American wine. As the acid in the pinot works on the tannin, the resultant sediment can land anywhere along the side of the bottle, and frequently it settles in the neck. If you got that in your glass, you would have received a bitter jolt.