Returning wine

[scotman]

Tonight I took a bottle of wine back to my local wine shop because it was off - vinegar. It was changed without problem.
How often do ABers need to take wine back? Any problems encountered? Any retailers that replace without hassle? Name names.

[Hymie]

I have only had cause to reject one bottle of wine, in a restaurant in Greece. The proprietor did not charge for the wine – but refused to supply a replacement. I suspect he knew he had a dodgy batch he was trying to off-load.

Did your bottle have a screw cap?

This is now the preferred method of capping – even for high-end wines. Personally I doubt if a screw cap will last 100 years (or even 10 for that matter) – but most wine producers expect you to drink their produce, not leave it to your great, great grandchildren.

[237SJ]

I`ve never sent a bottle of wine back but I have had customers say that their wine is corked. It`s not a problem. The customer is always right (although sometimes I know they don`t know what they`re talking about)

[scotman]

Hymie

My bottle was Villa Cardini Bardolino 2009. Plastic cork.
Bought 2 bottles on special offer of 2 for £13 one week ago. Drank first bottle 1 week ago - excellent. Second bottle tonight - well off; replacement(same wine) not as good as first bottle but 'OK'

[237SJ]

That`s just one of those things. If the bottle doesn`t have a cork you are less likely to have problems with it.

[carolegif]

Bought a case of St Emilion at Sainsbury in Calais about ten years ago. Got it home and it was corked. Took it back to my local branch and they changed it for another case.

[DTCwordfan]

I sent back a bottle last week.

A Chilean Merlot that had corked and, probably, had not been well stored. No issue, but then I know the restaurant well.

I once was a customer of one of my suppliers in London and they left me chose the wine - without being wine-snobbnish, they knew I had a far better palate than they did - I can't remember what the wine was but I think it was a Fixin or similar, a Cotes de Nuits.

One and then two wine bottles went back - completement foutu. The waiter brought out a third and didnt even offer me the glass. The restaurant manager came out and we went through three more before he said that the whole consignment was evidently off.

A profuse apology, a very nice St Vivant came out for the same price! And plenty to talk about.....

[Hymie]

Personally I quite rate plastic corks and thought they’d catch on. They make a very good seal and do not suffer degradation from the adsorption of wine (as happens with cork). I’ve never liked screw caps (on bottles of wine); to me they always were (and will be) synonymous with wine in a box (sick in a bag).

[DTCwordfan]

which is not the case Hymie. many good wines (wit NZ wines and US very upmarket wineries such as Plumjack) have moved to screw caps.

Whatever, I agree with you as to the cork but then there is that saisfying "cloop" as that little cylinder of cork comes out of the bottle. Don't get that with some device more akin to plugging other orifices.

[Euphemia]

I sent back a white wine in a restaurant in Trento, Italy - the first time I have had a bad white. In a restaurant in Sassari, Sardinia, a waiter sniffed the cork after opening a bottle of red and declared it corked. The next bottle of the same wine was fine.

[scotman]

seems that you have all sent back wine in restaurants but not from wine shops. I have never had a bad bottle in a restaurant but have had some from shops.

[DTCwordfan]

Sainsbury's accept, my local vino shop accepts too, but not a national chain.

[boxtops]

The price we can afford to pay for wine, it's not worth taking it back if it's duff. We had some lovely Merlot rosé at an event tonight, it's £2.99 from Aldi.

[DTCwordfan]

Nice to hear boxy, Sainsbury;s house Cotes du Rhone @£3-49 is very good too re a buy for the flavour it packs.

[hc4361]

I've taken wine back to Sainsbury's and Threshers, refunded no problem.