How to Tell if a Wine is Corked
The science behind a wine that has been corked
Corked wine refers to contaminated wine and contains cork taint. Corked wines contain TCA (trichloroanisole) compound. A TCA compound occurs when some chemicals such as chlorides come in contact with the natural fungi and result in tainted wine. In this article, we have discussed the essential things to consider to know if the wine is corked. Some of those things include;
What to look out for if you think the wine might be corked
- Consider the wine smell
Every wine has a distinct smell. The wine smell depends on the various ingredients used to make it. For instance, some of the wines that contain grapes as their ingredients contain a lovely aroma. Therefore the smell can help you to know if the wine is corked or not. That Is because smelling the wine will help you realize in case there is a change in its original smell. Most of the cored wine smell like a wet newspaper, dank moldy basement, or a wet dog. Therefore since a corked wine will always have a different scent, you will be able to know that the wine is corked easily.
- Taste of the wine
Different wine brands have varying tastes. A contaminated wine has a different taste as compared to uncontaminated ones. You need to ensure the wine has its original flavor. Corked wine has a flat taste. That means you do not feel any ingredient used to make the wine or get drunk quickly. If you have been drinking a particular wine and get reduced drinking experience, then it is clear that the wine quality is not the best. A good wine should always provide you with the best experience when drinking. Some corked wine might taste bitter or have a different taste due to contamination.
- Smell the cork itself
Wine corks have a distinctive smell if not contaminated by the other chemicals used to make the wine. Therefore to know a corked wine, you need to smell the cork itself. If you realize some unpleasant smell on the cork, then you can know the wine is corked. The unpleasant smell comes from the reaction between the chlorides and the fungi in the cork.
