Definition: After-sales service

A few rare châteaux offer an official worldwide service for recorking their bottles bearing an old vintage (24 years and older). Château Lafite-Rothschild, for example, organises this service free of charge at the château, including replacement of the cork. The operation is traditionally carried out by the cellar master. If the contents of the bottles prove to be significantly different from an identical wine stored at the château, the bottles are returned without their vintage labels or corks. Only bottles with a level of at least half a shoulder can be reconditioned. In general, one bottle from each batch is sacrificed to restore the level, unless it is taken from the château's stock. Wine owners are responsible for packaging and transporting the bottles to the recorking location designated by the château. This service is also provided abroad in countries where the château's wines are widely distributed. For the United States, for example, this operation took place in February 1998 in Chicago, New York and San Francisco. It is advertised in the trade press. See rebouchage.