Domaine Combier Saint-Joseph red 2015

Merchant's answer

Dear Sir, We're sorry to hear that you've fallen victim to TCA (Trichloroanisole), a molecule that is sometimes present in cork and virtually undetectable until it comes into contact with wine. Most of the great winegrowers have retained the natural cork stopper system, and do their utmost to choose the best corkmakers, who themselves do their utmost to avoid the presence of this molecule (including quite extensive scientific research). Unfortunately, although the level of TCA is sometimes reduced by careful selection, there is always a minimum percentage of corked bottles (in whose corks TCA was found), whatever the wine, whether it's a Petrus or a Romanée-Conti at €1,000... or a Domaine Combier at €22. We're sorry you've come across a corked bottle, and fortunately as the proportion of corked bottles is around 1 to 2% (for bottles corked with natural cork - off-patent Diam that not all winemakers have adopted) it's highly unlikely that there will be several TCA-affected bottles in the same box, so your customers will certainly have enjoyed their bottle of Saint-Joseph. Last but not least, cork taint is a characteristic defect that all wine lovers understand and know is impossible to detect. In any case, they can't blame you... we're obviously sorry that we can't do anything to avoid this kind of inconvenience either... Sincerely, Tristan Depauw