On Oct 18, 8:36*pm, DaleW > wrote:
> The measured TCA amounts averaged a bit over 1 ppt I think, under most people's threshold. But that was an average, and way higher than most wineries. One would guess that a much higher percentage of bottles than normal would show corked to even those of us with average perception (not to mention fruit scalping issues). So good they did the cellar rehab- guess they owe Laube, as I think systemic TCA infection in cellar wood just gets worse. Look at Ducru- lots of 85/86s show as corked, but the 89s are almost uniformly noticably tainted.
>
> Was the cellar room with the problem red only? I don't think I've had any corked Montelena chards.
>
> As an aside, we did a Studs and Dubs tasting (10 pt or more difference between WS and WA) a few years ago. I'm not very TCA sensitive, but called the 2001 Montelena (blind) as corked.
>
> I disagree strongly with Laube's palate in general, but I think there's no way he could hide anosmia.

I often wondered if the TCA issue at Montelena had anything to do with
Cos d' Estournel owner Michel Reybier backing out of his potential
aquisition of Montelena.