the first time I have run in to a bad cork ,,, I never had a bad one ,I always get natural cork and #9 ,,, never the cheap ones ... I took a aug bottled 2010 plum that has sat on its side all the time ,, tried to start the screw in the cork ,, the cork pushed right down in to the bottle ,, very very little pressure the screw never even started into the cork .. but it never leaked a drop all the time on the side .. I can not taste any thing so will have to have the wife taste it .. she is not feeling real good tonight so will have to wait til another day to see how bad it will taste any one run into that bad of a cork but never leak for over 4 years ???