If you are a regular reader of this site, you are used to reading my take on some of the best wines in the state. Wines which, at their best, can rival wines from anywhere. Today, I want to discuss wine faults which are fairly commonplace and can be found in the best wineries in the world. I will try not to get too deep in the weeds and all of the chemistry involved. The corks above were fine, but corks may represent the biggest source of wine faults.
Below are a few of the more common wine faults:
“Corked”
Probably the most common type of wine fault is due to a bad cork. A defective cork, may allow too much oxygen in the bottle. However, even more common is when a cork has been exposed to mold or mildew before bottling. The resulting wine is often referred to as “corked.” It has been estimated that 2-3% of wine is corked. Depending on the severity of the problem, the average consumer may not notice a problem. If you are not aware of this issue, you may think that it’s just not a good wine (or one that you don’t like). Some people are more sensitive to smell and taste. While I have no difficulty spotting a corked wine, my wife can detect even a slightly moldy cork quickly, often without holding it up to her nose. Generally speaking, women tend to have a more sensitive nose and palate than men.
Oxidation
This is one of the most common faults in wine. Not enough oxygen in your wine and you need to “open it up” by decanting, or at least setting it aside for awhile after you open the bottle. Too much oxygen and the wine will lose its acidity and taste flat (at best). At its worst, it will taste like vinegar (because if allowed to continue, it will become vinegar).
Cooked Wine
Cooked wine is the result of wine that has been exposed to temperatures that are too high and result in wine that is spoiled. The temperature needn’t be extreme (as in put in your trunk on a hot summer day for hours at a time). Storing wine in your kitchen, where temperatures can reach 75 degrees or more, can cook your wine. If you have a basement or another room where it is significantly cooler than room temperature (55 degrees is considered optimum, especially for long term storage) that’s where you want to store your wine. For your “special wines,” you might consider a wine fridge.
Ultraviolet light
Natural light will age a wine too quickly and it may turn into vinegar. To avoid this, don’t store your wine in a room with direct sunlight (or even bright lights). Again most kitchens and dining rooms are too warm and too bright for storage (definitely for aging).
Sulphur
Most wines have some sulphur to prevent too much oxidation and to act as a preservative. Since some people are allergic to it, the bottle must state if it contains sulfites. How do you know there is too much?Sulphur gives off a smell like a match when you strike it. Not what you want to be smelling as you drink your wine. If you are not allergic to sulphur, do not be too concerned, as many foods have more sulfites than wine (bacon and dried apricots have far more sulfites than the average glass of wine).
While wine faults can be fairly common, thankfully, the vast majority of the bottles of wine that we drink (over 90%) are free of the above faults (or if present they are not readily detectible, nor will they make you ill).
Cheers!
Looking for a book about New Jersey wine and wineries? Check out my book, New Jersey Uncorked: A Snob-Free Taste of NJ Wine. You can buy it now for $19.99 using the code: Summer20 here:
store.bookbaby.com/book/New-Jersey-Uncorked You can also get the ebook edition at the Apple iBook App for $9.99 using the same coupon code (Summer20).
Coming Attractions
- NJ Uncorked & Unplugged
- Dining Outdoors & NJ Wine
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