There was nothing pink or fruity about the evil-looking black liquid trapped between the cap and the cork. I feared the worst but the wet mould hadn't completely saturated the cork and the end facing the beer was still rosy. More importantly, the beer hadn't spoiled.
It's a pale pinkish orange with lots of foam piled on top. The raspberry aroma is astoundingly fresh, all tart and juicy. That opens the flavour but it's fleeting, quickly squashed by fat and funky farmyard brett and then a long tail of dry sourness with just a sprinkling of white pepper sparks.
It's really quite beautiful and remarkably easy drinking. There's no acidic edge to the flavour and no heavy balsamic qualities. This bottle has gone to a better place but I'd say any other 2009s out there will be perfectly fine for a good few years yet, corks permitting.
