Noob question about crumbling corks

[Fred S]

I drink mostly tawny (20 to 40 year-old), but recently bought a few bottles of '94 Vintage Dow.
As soon as I tried to open the bottles the corks crumbled
Is this normal?
Thanks for your input.

[Eric Menchen]

Old bottles of Port and a crumbling cork are common. However, I'm surprised you encountered this with a 1994, and wouldn't expect it for a well stored bottle. I can't recall opening a 1994 with a crumbling cork; the 1980s are mixed, most more solid but some crumblers; and for the 1970s, and 1970 in particular, I tend to expect it. I'll tong a 1970 to avoid this.

[Andy Velebil]

Hi Fred,

Old corks are hard to get out with breaking. This was mainly due to older bottle designs where the neck had a large flare on them. Over time this caused the bottom part of the cork to really flair out to a size that is very difficult, if not imposible at times, to remove without breaking. Most, if not all, newer bottle designs no longer have such a large flair on the neck to reduce this (as well as other reasons).

Eric already gave some good advice so I'll just add....if you don't use a corkscrew with a long enough worm, or you don't screw it in far enough, it's possible to break the cork when trying to extract it, even on younger bottles. If that wasn't the case, then the bottle could have been stored in a dry environment, causing the cork to dry out prematurely. Which would also cause it to crumble.

Using a poorly made corkscrew can also contribute to the problem. I don't know what kind you used, just tossing out some potential areas to look at. But avoid the "rabbit" type (it has the two arms you sqeeze together then a leaver on top that drives a worm into the cork), IME these type are not good to use on the smaller diameter Port corks and often lead to problems removing the cork in one piece.

[Fred S]

Thanks for your replies, guys.
Since the corks in these bottles start crumbling as soon as I stick the corkscrew in them, I suspect that it is a matter of the bottles not having been properly stored.

Fred

[Glenn E.]

Since the corks in these bottles start crumbling as soon as I stick the corkscrew in them, I suspect that it is a matter of the bottles not having been properly stored.

Yeah, that sounds like a really badly dried-out cork to me. Even old corks don't normally crumble just from inserting a corkscrew.

One all-too-common cause of this is stores leaving the bottles upright on the shelf, particularly on higher shelves which are closer to the warm air near the ceiling. Since Port is normally aged much longer than wine it often passes through many owners, any one of whom could have stored it improperly.

[Roy Hersh]

Yep, sounds like poor humidification from prior storage to me. Many people put chillers into their cellars with no thought about the relative humidity in the space/room. I've seen very simple solutions where people put a drip pan on the floor and continuously change out putting wet paper towels in their space.

For crumbly corks, I would recommend the use of an Ah-So, a two prong things that is fairly easy to learn to use and become proficient with. Just don't let Peter M. from convince you to sharpen those prongs!

By the way Fred, aboard and please feel free to ask any questions you might have. As you see, this is a place where lots of Port lovers come to learn as well as share their knowledge. It has been great to see so many people go from total newbies with Port, to learning a great deal and eventually growing their expertise over the years. We hope you will stick around and continue to participate.

[Moses Botbol]

I drink mostly tawny (20 to 40 year-old), but recently bought a few bottles of '94 Vintage Dow.
As soon as I tried to open the bottles the corks crumbled
Is this normal?
Thanks for your input.

That is not normal for a 1994 vintage. How soaked or red was the cork? Did the red go halfway up the cork?

[Fred S]

I drink mostly tawny (20 to 40 year-old), but recently bought a few bottles of '94 Vintage Dow.
As soon as I tried to open the bottles the corks crumbled
Is this normal?
Thanks for your input.

That is not normal for a 1994 vintage. How soaked or red was the cork? Did the red go halfway up the cork?

I can't answer this question, because, as I mentioned, the cork disintegrated and I had to push the fragments INTO the bottle. I then decanted with a sieve-like contraption to get the debris out.

Fred

PS: Thanks for the friendly welcome, Roy

[Monique Heinemans.]

I've bought some bottles of VP last year, when I opened one some time ago the cork crumbled all the way down. I couldn't get it out, not even a single piece. I could see that the bottom of the cork was red for a few mm, so the bottels must have been lying down (at least for a while). I feared the worsed, but the port showed extremely well so luckily no damage. I guess the provenance hasn't been good before it got stored in my cellar. To dry?
My own cellar has a humidity of min. 55% in wintertime to about max. 85% in summertime. Temperature is min. 10 degrees Celsius in wintertime and max. 18 degrees Celsius in summertime. So not too bad I think.
Do you think there is a chance that the corks of the remaining bottles restore a bit? Or should I be worried and open the bottles soon(er) rather than later?

[Peter W. Meek]

<snip>For crumbly corks, I would recommend the use of an Ah-So, a two prong things that is fairly easy to learn to use and become proficient with. Just don't let Peter M. from convince you to sharpen those prongs! <snip>

Aw, c'mon, Roy. I only recommended that for people who didn't want to damage an interesting cork. I actually keep two Ah-So openers around (one sharpened; one in stock condition), and I haven't sharpened my Durand (yet). (However, I will gladly explain the technique for those who want to learn. After all, I didn't injure myself terribly badly.)

For the record, I have a tendency to injure myself in wine-related activities. I've sliced open my knuckles trying to remove the aluminum sleeve left after removing a screw closure (gotta separate your recyclables). I've punctured my thumb (deeply) by trying to press a sharp-pointed capsule-knife harder against a tough capsule (thank heavens for the blunt knife on my Code 38). I recommend that you be in a different state if I ever attempt sabrage; I may shower blood and flying glass over several counties.

[Phil W]

I recommend that you be in a different state if I ever attempt sabrage; I may shower blood and flying glass over several counties.

Three rules for you for sabrage:
(a) Do NOT hold the bottle by the neck while you do it.
(b) Do NOT have someone else hold the bottle for you while you do it.
(c) Do NOT do it*
*this rule only to apply if your name is an anagram of "temper week".
Would sabrage work on port, given the lack of pressure?
Has anyone ever tried it (on a 1935 Calem perhaps since this was bottled in a champagne bottle format)?

[Phil W]

I've bought some bottles of VP last year, when I opened one some time ago the cork crumbled all the way down. I couldn't get it out, not even a single piece. I could see that the bottom of the cork was red for a few mm, so the bottels must have been lying down (at least for a while). I feared the worsed, but the port showed extremely well so luckily no damage. I guess the provenance hasn't been good before it got stored in my cellar. To dry?
My own cellar has a humidity of min. 55% in wintertime to about max. 85% in summertime. Temperature is min. 10 degrees Celsius in wintertime and max. 18 degrees Celsius in summertime. So not too bad I think.
Do you think there is a chance that the corks of the remaining bottles restore a bit? Or should I be worried and open the bottles soon(er) rather than later?

I would be tempted to open a second bottle after you've had them stored for 6 months, and see whether the same problem occurs.

[Monique Heinemans.]

Thats a good suggestion Phil, I'll do that! Thanks.

[Glenn E.]

I have encountered crumbly corks before, but never as bad as Monique describes.

I find it a little hard to believe that it was simply dried out in this case, though, given that the Port inside seemed fine. For a cork to be that dry and crumbly, it would have had to be like that for quite some time. And in that poor of condition I would expect the contents of the bottle to be damaged in some way.

My guess is that it was just a bad cork. It probably would have been a leaker at some point in the future, so you prevented it from going bad by opening it.

Phil's suggestion is very good. Wait a while (with periodic checks for leakage) then open another one. (And then another, and then another... ) Hopefully the rest of the bottles are in fine shape and you'll have nothing to worry about!

Back to Fred's bottle... how did yours show? Was it still good? I would expect it to show at least somewhat oxidized if the cork was completely dried out, which is what yours sounds like. (Monique's as well, other than the Port tasting great.)

[Jeff G.]

i'd attribute it more to what andy mentioned. Bad corkscrew and/or improper usage.

A good one should have a relatively evenly spaced and thin enough worm to snake through the cork. The spirals on cheap ones are spaced too close together and will demolish even the best aged corks.

The other is technique. Some poeple subscribed to the ahso, I'm not a fan as if you insert the ah-so into the side with the quinta label you risk losing being able to read what was imprinted on the cork. But with a good corkscrew with a deep enough worm, the technique that the somm at Berns showed me worked quite well (on some 1800 bottles no less).
You go in at an angle towards the side of the cork and drill in diagonally all the way down. Then with your hand on the neck and the bottle tilted at an angle slowly try and wiggle the cork out. He extracted an 1887 claret cork which was longer than the worm without breakage. No trouble with a 1974 Fonseca guimareans etiher.

[Roy Hersh]

Some possibilities for enhancing cork extraction for difficult corks:

1. Ensure proper humidity in your wine storage area, so the corks don't dry out prematurely

2. Store your Port bottles lying on their side to keep corks moist and in contact with the wine

3. Use the proper extraction device:
* Avoid any type of corkscrew with a short or very narrow worm
* Avoid the "Lever-Pull" or "Cloche" style of cork remover due to the shape of the helix
* Avoid the old fashioned simple "T"
* Avoid the "Wing" type of corkscrew with arms

4. Do not buy older bottles of Port from a wine shop/retailer if the bottles are standing up and look like they've been there, in that position for awhile.

5. Before opening any precious old bottles, make sure you are comfortable with the operation of your cork removal device, if possible, by first practicing on young and/or inexpensive bottles of wine

6. If in the company of Peter W. Meek, IF he insists on opening any bottle of wine in your presence, make sure to have a solidly built window/wall between you and him.

[Peter W. Meek]

<snip>
6. If in the company of Peter W. Meek, IF he insists on opening any bottle of wine in your presence, make sure to have a solidly built window/wall between you and him.

Now, now... I've opened thousands and thousands of bottles of wine* and have yet to injure anyone (else). In fact, the self-mayhem seems to occur frequently when there is no wine present - while playing with corkscrews and preparing empty bottles for recycling.

I did once fall head first down the last five steps of a flight of stairs with a half-full wineglass in my hand without spilling a drop**, but accidents while actual wine is around have been in the minority (if just barely). I have too much respect for the wine.

=========

* As many as 68 in a single day (sampling each one - which may explain **)

** I was giving a house tour, talking to some nice young lady following me down the stairs (descending sideways while distracted), and caught one foot on something (perhaps it was my other foot) and my forward motion did the rest. I received a round of applause from the tour group when I stood up with the wine still in the glass.