Penfolds Re-corking Clinics
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Australian icon Penfolds recently celebrated its 25th year of Re-corking Clinics with a national tour across Australia. These complimentary Clinics allow Penfolds owners to have their wines which are over 15 years old "health checked" by the Penfolds winemaking team. Guided by Penfolds' affable chief winemaker, Peter Gago, we experienced this amazing service first hand on a 1984 St Henri Claret during the Melbourne leg of Penfolds’ Australian tour, held at the picturesque Carousel in Albert Park.
The process began with Peter casting his expert eye over the bottle to visually assess the level of the wine and condition of the cork to determine whether the bottle needed to be re-corked. After carefully removing the capsule and cork, Peter poured out a tiny sample whilst protecting the remainder with a blanket of inert gas to prevent oxidation.
"So you can see here why we have Re-corking Clinics", says Peter examining the cork, "that's not a bad cork, it's done its job, but it needs to be replaced".
Given the length of time since bottling, Peter warns that we need to let the wine breathe momentarily in the glass to let residual odours dissipate to ensure we get a correct first impression of the wine.
And then, the moment of truth, tasting. A hushed silence envelops us as we bring the brick red liquid to our lips - Wow, the wine is in perfect condition. Complex and earthy, boasting baked fruit, sweet prune and dark chocolate - time has certainly been kind. Peter Gago tells us that after 32 years, this particular St Henri has reached its peak, "for a lot of people, they couldn't care less about re-corking, they actually want a taste of their wine before they ultimately open it" says Peter.
Following tasting, wines that are found to meet Penfolds exacting standards are certified, topped up with the current vintage of the same wine (to replace the tiny quantity removed for tasting), re-corked and re-capsuled using specialist equipment, arresting any further deterioration.
Unfortunately, not all wines survive their journey through time and those which are deemed not to be of a certifiable level are marked with a white dot, re-corked without a capsule and their owners are encouraged to consume them in the very short term. Peter jokes that Penfolds should set up a "crying room" for owners of bottles which do not make the cut.
Wandering around the Clinic, Peter’s encyclopaedic knowledge about wine is palpable, effortlessly spotting rare vintages from across the room. Peter is clearly disheartened when a couple bring in their collection of rare bottles dating back over 50 years whose low wine levels render them un-certifiable, but which "could have been saved if brought in for re-corking 10 years earlier".
Peter says the Re-corking Clinics attract people from all backgrounds, from multimillionaires with vast collections through to mums and dads with one bottle that has been in the family for 20 years.
"After 25 years, the Re-corking Clinics continue to amaze and evolve, transcending all our expectations," says Peter "The notion that every bottle has a story continues to reign true. As winemakers, it is so meaningful and rewarding to meet collectors and share their personal story of their wine’s unique journey. Professionally it is gratifying to witness the ongoing quality of rare treasures that span so many decades, each one adding to the unfinished story that is Penfolds."
The next stop for the Penfolds winemaking team is Adelaide on the 11 – 12 October at Penfolds Magill Estate. Bookings are essential and to register visit www.penfolds.com. Following the Australian Clinics, the program will head overseas, visiting the UK, US and Canada before the end of the year.
