Issue link: http://winesandvines.uberflip.com/i/573907
October 2015 WINES&VINES 11 October 2015 WINES&VINES 11 are sensitive enough to detect TCA taint with a high level of accuracy, repeatabil- ity and success. The sniffers have a rigorous workflow that includes frequent breaks to keep sensory fatigue low. Winery Participation Winemakers in the program are invited and encouraged to participate while their cork order is undergoing DS100, and many actively open and sniff each jar alongside the six professional sniff- ers employed in the Cork Supply lab. Charles Thomas of Quintessa Vineyards, one of the first customers in the DS100 program, is an enthusiastic participant. "Everybody talks about off-corks," Thomas says, "but nobody does anything about it. Cork Supply started to do something about it, and we jumped on it. My goal is that everybody who opens a bottle of Quintessa has a wonderful experience with nothing to detract from it." Thomas shot a video of his inspec- tion work in the Cork Supply lab and posted it on Quintessa's website at quintessa.com/films/cork_testing.cfm. At Trinchero Napa Valley, winemaker Mario Monticelli and quality specialist Judi Rice-Perry use DS100 for their premium Cabernet Sauvignon and Sauvignon Blanc wines, and they have been pulling and testing 100 corks per shipment at the winery. In two years, they have found zero cork taint in these final quality checks. Bottle Buy Back Such results inspire customers' incredibly high level of confidence in DS100. Cork Supply is so confident in the program's effectiveness that they now offer customers a full Bottle Buy Back guarantee. Wines sealed with DS100 corks shipped and invoiced between Jan. 1, 2015, and Dec. 31, 2016, are eligible for the DS100 Bottle Buy Back program. "If any customer believes that a bottle of their wine sealed with a DS100 cork is contaminated with TCA, we will test the wine at our lab in Benicia," Herwatt confirms. "If we detect cork-derived TCA, we'll reimburse them for the retail release price of the bottle. We know DS100 offers the most advanced and thorough quality control available, and we're willing to put our reputation on it. We want our winery customers to be as confident in the quality of their product as we are in the quality of our cork." Wineries interested in learning more about the Cork Supply DS100 program and the Bottle Buy Back guarantee are encouraged to contact Cork Supply's offices. Wineries currently participating in the DS100 program can contact their Cork Supply sales consultant for more information about the Bottle Buy Back guarantee or get details on the com- pany's website at corksupply.com/ products/ds100/bottlebuyback. Cork Supply developed the fi rst dry-soak program starting in 2010.