Buying Old Burgundy Condition Checklist: for Auction Buyers

A buying old Burgundy condition checklist protects your fine wine investment at auction. It also helps you judge the wine's quality. Ullage, or fill level, is a primary indicator of a wine's health. For Burgundy bottles, WineBid measures ullage in centimeters from the cork to the wine. Beyond fill levels, scrutinize labels for signs of poor storage, such as bubbling, fading, or staining. Also inspect capsules for issues like corrosion or tears. Those might suggest tampering or seepage, according to WineBid's auction terminology. Check the cork itself for depression or elevation. Crucially, understanding a wine's provenance provides insight into how well it has been preserved. Provenance covers ownership history and storage conditions. It influences potential quality and value. These factors collectively offer clues about a wine's journey before you open the bottle.

What ullage levels are normal for old Burgundy?

Ullage is the headspace of air between the wine and the top of the container. It is an important indicator of a wine's condition. For Burgundy, Pinot Noir, and similar bottles, ullage is historically measured in centimeters, WineBid states. Their shape is distinct from Bordeaux and Cabernet Sauvignon bottles. Decanter notes that the condition and drinkability of Burgundy are less affected by ullage than its Bordeaux equivalent. Decanter adds that ullage of up to 7cm is relatively normal in 30-year-old Burgundy. A lower fill level means more air in the bottle. That accelerates the aging process, according to Wine-Searcher Limited, cited. For more details on fill levels, consult our guide to wine ullage levels explained.

WineBid provides specific guidelines for Burgundy ullage levels:

Ullage (cm)	Age	Assessment
Two or less	Any age	Excellent fill
Three	12 years or older	Perfectly normal fill
Three	25 years or older	Excellent fill
Four	More than 20 years old	Normal fill
Four	More than 35 years old	Excellent fill
Five	30 years old or older	Not uncommon

Decanter also highlights that "age aside, ullage lower than midshoulder level poses a much higher risk of spoilage," as Dirceu Vianna Junior MW stated in Decanter.

How do storage conditions affect ullage?

Storage conditions significantly impact ullage levels and a wine's overall health. Decanter reports that abnormally low fill levels indicate poor storage conditions, specifically high temperature or low humidity. Long-term storage requires a temperature of around 13°-15°C and a humidity level of about 70%. It also requires an absence of light and vibration, according to Dirceu Vianna Junior MW in Decanter. Wines kept at ambient humidity levels and temperatures between 10-15 °C (50-59 °F) will experience evaporation and diffusion at a slower rate. That results in lower ullage levels. For comprehensive guidance on optimal conditions, refer to our guide on how to store wine.

A study by Chanut et al. investigated the evolution of oxygen barrier properties of microagglomerated cork-based stoppers over 24 months. The work mimicked various wine conservation conditions using miniaturized bottle systems and a model wine solution. The study tracked the oxygen diffusion coefficient of the cork wafer alone. Temperature, storage position and the presence of model wine did not modify it. However, the presence of model wine modified the total oxygen transfer. That total covers transfer through the stopper and at the glass-cork interface. The total diffusion coefficient increased from 2.3 × 10⁻¹¹ to 4.7 × 10⁻¹¹ m² s⁻¹ after three initial months of storage at 20°C, according to Chanut et al. Transfer at the glass-cork interface accounted for nearly 70% of the total oxygen transfer. The study also found that the storage position of the bottle did not significantly influence oxygen transfer. That holds for vertical storage (cork in contact with vapor phase) and horizontal storage (cork in contact with liquid phase). Temperature had a strong impact. At 35°C, total oxygen transfer did not increase significantly for up to 9 months. Beyond this duration, a significant transfer at the glass-cork interface began to occur. At 50°C, this shift occurred within the first three months of storage. This increased transfer at higher temperatures could be attributed to a partial melting of the paraffin and silicon coating on the stopper. A modification of the stopper's mechanical properties is the other possibility, Chanut et al. suggest.

What other bottle condition factors should you check?

Beyond ullage, other aspects of a bottle's condition offer crucial insights into its history and potential quality. WineBid trains its inspectors to document every possible bottle detail. They note light or heavy condition issues.

Labels

Labels can reveal a great deal about a wine's storage history. WineBid states that label condition issues may include, but are not limited to, labels that are bubbled, faded, folded, loose, nicked, scuffed, soiled, stained, tissue stained, torn, worn, or wrinkled. The list also covers labels carrying writing not originally placed by the producer. A pristine label often suggests careful handling and appropriate humidity levels. Significant damage can point to poor storage.

Capsules

The capsule covers the cork and bottle neck. It also provides important clues. WineBid indicates that capsule condition issues may refer to, but are not limited to, capsules that are chipped, corroded, cracked, missing, nicked, oxidized, scuffed, soiled, stained, torn, worn, or wrinkled. Corrosion or tears might indicate seepage, according to WineBid. In seepage, wine slowly escapes because of the natural cork lifecycle or the storage conditions.

Corks

Inspect the cork itself for any issues. WineBid notes that cork condition issues may refer to corks that are depressed or elevated. A depressed cork can suggest heat exposure. An elevated cork might indicate the wine has expanded due to freezing or excessive heat.

Why is provenance important for old Burgundy?

Provenance is the ownership history of a particular wine. It is particularly important for establishing the estimated value of very old, rare, or valuable wines, WineBid explains. It includes information about how the current owner acquired the wine and under what circumstances. Questions sometimes arise about the provenance of wines offered for consignment. WineBid then either rejects the wines or states clearly on the lot descriptions that the provenance is unknown.

Understanding provenance helps you assess the likelihood of a wine being well-preserved. WineBid uses several terms to describe storage history:

• Temperature Controlled Unit: These are compact storage units designed to keep wines within ideal temperature and humidity ranges. They have grown popular in recent decades.
• Passive Cellar: Rooms in a residence with no means of maintaining a permanent temperature. WineBid usually inspects these to determine storage quality.
• Underground/Subterranean Cellar: Can be passive or temperature controlled. A passive underground storage area is preferable to an above-ground passive residential cellar. It is almost always a cooler environment, less susceptible to damaging light, and generally very still.
• Professional Storage Facility: Lockers in temperature-controlled buildings that wine collectors can rent.
• Direct From Winery: Wines shipped directly from the winery to WineBid's Napa Valley warehouse.

The best advice for buyers is always to try to establish the provenance of the bottle, as Dirceu Vianna Junior MW told Decanter. That check minimizes risk. It is a key step in how to buy wine at auction successfully.

What wine faults relate to poor condition?

Poor bottle condition can lead to various wine faults, impacting both aroma and taste. Oxidation-type faults, particularly in white wines, present as a dulling of the aroma, or "cardboard," "straw," "hay-like" aromas. Those progress to "sherry-like" and "madeirised" characters. In extreme cases they reach "wet wool," "wet dog," or "varnish-like" aromas, according to The Australian Wine Research Institute (AWRI). Acetaldehyde can impart "over-ripe bruised apples" or "sherry" characters above 125 mg/L. It increases as wines age due to chemical oxidation of ethanol, AWRI states. Volatile acidity, often perceived as the odor of vinegar, is another fault. Its major component, acetic acid, has a reported aroma threshold as low as 0.1: 0.125 g/L in wine. AWRI regards it as detrimental above 0.7 g/L. Ethyl acetate, perceived as "nail polish remover," can also contribute to volatile acidity. Its sensory threshold is 12 mg/L, according to AWRI.

Cork taint comes primarily from 2,4,6-trichloroanisole (TCA). TCA is one of the most odor-intense compounds known. It imparts a distinct musty, mouldy aroma, AWRI notes. One study determined its aroma threshold in a Pinot Noir wine as 1.4 ng/L. It can be lower in dry white wines or higher in full-bodied reds, AWRI adds. Other compounds like 2,4,6-tribromoanisole (TBA) and 2-methoxy-3,5-dimethylpyrazine ("fungal must") also cause similar musty, mouldy taints, AWRI states.

These faults underscore why a thorough condition check is vital before committing to an auction purchase.

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