Cork Taint (Corked)
A corked wine has a bad smell like wet cardboard and tastes of musty or moldy cork. It smells like a mildewed cloth that has been allowed to sit without drying. The cause of a corked wine is a compound called TCA (trichloroanisole), which is produced by mold growth on the corks during aging and processing at the winery. There is no known way to fix a corked wine or recover the original flavour. If you come across a corky wine, throw it away and open another, especially if you’re at a restaurant. The restaurant should replace your wine for free. Wineries almost always replace corked wines free on the word of the restaurateur. If it is your own private bottle contact the winery. The spoilage inside the cork had not been visible at the time the winery used it to seal the bottle – otherwise they wouldn’t have used that cork. It only becomes detectable by smell and taste after the bottle is opened for serving. This is the reason that sommeliers pour a small amount of newly opened wine for “checking” by the host at the dinner table prior to serving the other guests. There is no other valid reason for checking the wine before pouring. Cork tainted wine can range from an absence of fruit that leaves the wine muted, to undrinkable corked wine that reeks of moldy cardboard. The number of corkied bottles has decreased since cork companies began to use better processing methods and cork analyses. See also, corky.
I am passionate about wine, history and art. As an experienced wineo, I have deep respect for those who have the skills to blend art and science into a bottle of great wine; I truly don’t know how a vintner can possibly tango with Mother Nature all year...
