Filthy Good Vino

At 49 years old this baby, 1966 Penfolds Bin 128 Coonawarra Claret, was looking tired! So I decanted it onto 30ppm of Sulphur & left it 2 days. Result was impressive!

The samples I tried on the day, both sulphured & un-sulphured were dramatically different. The unsulphured sample was hard with an aldehyde finish. The sulphured sample fresher, but, closed. Aldehyde had been mopped up by the sulphur.

2 days later the sulphured sample has freshened and opened up beautifully. For around $20 you can get the equipment & sulphur needed to treat more tired old bottles than you’ll drink in a life time. If you have a lot of old wine in the cellar & want to know how to do, this hit me up via the Contact Page or leave your email address in a comment below.

Opening old bottles of wine with dodgy corks can be a challenge even for the most experienced wine hound. Good hardware can make a big difference. The Durand combines the Ah-So, prong opener, with the screw of a waiter’s friend. Check out the video review below. It’s not cheap, if you have a lot of old wine under cork it’ll make your life a bit easier.

Alternatively you can go the Power Drill or Coat Hanger (end of post) method of opening your bottles.

*I have no affiliation with Durand and paid in full for the corkscrew.

Waiter’s friend (top), Ah-So (middle) & Durand (bottom) with 1979 Laira Cabernet Malbec.

Filthy Good Vino wine tips are hear to help you get more from every bottle of Filth that you open. #1 is all about saving the leftovers at the end of a big night.

OK, gotta put the caveats on this statement. I’m talking about saving open bottles of wine at home, not, in a bar or restaurant. I’ve never tried a Coravin. I’d be interested to hear from anyone who has.

As a winemaker, one of the ultimate rules is:

Make sure any vessel: tank, barrel, amphora, holding wine is full … no air in it … PERIOD!

Why?

Air Space = Oxygen

Oxygen = Oxidation

Oxidation =  Off Wine (Eventually)

No matter how hard you try to fill the air space in a tank with carbon dioxide, nitrogen, argon, if there’s a lot of air space in a tank oxygen will be in there. If the tanks full of wine there’s no room for air, and, therefore no room for oxygen.

Apply the same principle to your left over wine and you’re on a winner. Your leftovers will be in the best possible condition.

How? Simply collect a few small glass bottle: Airline wine bottles – 187ml, half wine bottles – 375ml, tonic water bottles – 330ml … tell me you don’t have any of those lying around by the time the G&T season hits, maple syrup bottles – 250ml, whatever you can get your hands on.

After you’ve cracked your bottle, carefully decant whatever your not going to drink straight into the appropriate sized bottle, filling it to the brim, seal it up with the lid and your done!

Even the most sensitive wine, like Pinot or old wines will benefit. I’m not saying it’s perfect, but, it’s not far from it!

I cracked this Roagna La Pira 1/2 bottle, chucked 1/2 in the glass & saved 1/2 for later! Took me a few days to get back to it and it was looking great!

Part 1. Something gives me a sneaking suspicion that this might be a tough one. The skank under the capsule is a bit of a worry. Friday’s #FilthyGoodVino challenge accepted.  The capsule is off, revealing some unwanted friends.

FILTHY GOOD VINO TIP: Always clean the nasty bits of a cork before opening the bottle to avoid contaminating the wine!

Part 2. The magic eight ball says “Outcome uncertain, check again later” I will not be deterred! Victory is mine, with wine diamonds!

FILTHY GOOD VINO TIP: Keeping a bottle of wine as flat as possible while opening helps avoid disturbing any crap in the bottle and reduces the chances of the cork falling in giving you a chance to have a second or even third, fourth and fifth bite at getting it out! There’s a video showing how in my post “Stop the Wine-ocide” Kaani 2012 – My Deep Dark Secret + a Wine Tip.

Part 3. The reveal! It’s a 31 year old … thanks Dad. 1982 Orlando Coonawarra Late Picked Botrytised Rhine Riesling 😉 It’s looking sharp. Great acid balancing the unctuous sweet goodness. Worth completing the ultimate

Just got a couple of these to help me clean my wine glasses!