Corked?

[barnesy]

Opened up a bottle of 1998 Jean-Luc Colombo Cote Du Rhone. The fruit wasn't there, the spice was very muted and it seemed flat over the middle. I have had horrendously corked bottles that I could tell upon cracking the cork. On this bottle, the smell...wasn't quite right. This was a bottle that my wine shop guy went into the back room to dig out because he wanted me to try it and its one that he really likes. The cork had wine stains about 3/4 of the ways up, not solid around the cork but big splotches.

Am I describing a mildley corked bottle? and if so should I take it back?

Barnesy

[Drew]

barnesy, sounds to me like a cooked bottle. Exposure to high temps will cause your description, the wine tasting flabby and without structure with stewed fruit aromas. I usually have the luck of purchasing those bottles. My wine shop makes good on those bottles...I'm sure yours will also.

Drew