Bottle Condition

At SoDivin, we systematically document three visible criteria: the wine level in the bottle, the condition of the label and the condition of the capsule.
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Bottle level

Bottle level
Label of a Petrus available at Sodivin

Label condition
Capsule condition taken into account in the assessment of bottle condition

Capsule condition

How to interpret the condition of a bottle based on its age?

It is normal for the condition of bottles to evolve over time in the cellar: a 10-year-old bottle does not have the same appearance as a 60-year-old wine bottle. As cork is not completely airtight, the wine level decreases slowly. Two parameters can accelerate this phenomenon: a cellar that is too warm and/or a cork that is more porous than average.

If there is no additional information on a wine product sheet, consider that the condition is normal given its age.

Understand everything

Not necessarily. For old vintages, a slight drop in level is normal. When we estimate that a level is unusually low, we clearly indicate this in the wine description.

This level is an essential indicator of preservation, as it provides information about the natural evaporation of the liquid through the cork over time.
A well-preserved wine has a level appropriate for its age.

Learn more about bottle levels.

A marked or stained label is often a sign of storage in a humid cellar, an ideal condition for preserving wine over several decades.

Capsules may have been more or less damaged during handling. This generally has no impact on the quality of the wine. However, a capsule whose top (the part covering the cork) is pierced increases the risks of evaporation or even leakage.
See the classification of capsule conditions

Normal condition according to the age of the bottle

  • Bordeaux: Level at the base of the neck or better

  • Burgundy: Level approximately 2 cm below the cork or better

  • Label: In good condition

  • Bordeaux: Level slightly below the base of the neck or better

  • Burgundy: Level approximately 3 cm below the cork or better

  • Label: In good condition or slightly marked by time

  • Bordeaux: Level at high shoulder or better

  • Burgundy: Level approximately 4 cm below the cork or better

  • Label: In good condition or marked by time but readable

  • Bordeaux: Level between high and mid shoulder or better

  • Burgundy: Level approximately 5 to 6 cm below the cork or better

  • Label: In good condition or very marked by time but readable

Details on label condition

The labels of old bottles are generally marked by years spent in the cellar. Good hygrometry, essential for proper wine preservation, is often fatal to the label.

Should this be a concern? Quite the contrary. A label in perfect condition might suggest that the bottle was stored in a cellar that was too dry, which would be detrimental to the wine.

There are two exceptions however: bottles whose labels have been protected by their owner and those that have been relabeled at the château. Labels with slight defects (small tears and traces of moisture) are considered good. Others are defined as follows:

  • Slightly damaged: stains, tears, slight missing parts, traces of moisture but which do not impede readability.
  • Damaged: stained and/or torn and/or traces of moisture. Reading sometimes more difficult.
  • Very damaged: very stained and/or torn and/or strong traces of moisture. Difficult to read.

Details on capsule condition

Capsules may have been accidentally damaged to varying degrees during handling. This generally has no impact on wine quality. However, a capsule with a pierced top (the part covering the cork) increases the risk of evaporation or leakage.

Bottles with worn or damaged capsules are defined as follows:

  • Slightly damaged capsule: the top of the capsule shows signs of wear and/or a tear that does not affect the bottle's seal
  • Damaged capsule: the top of the capsule is pierced