Wine Faults - Cork Taint and Vinegar

Cork is the traditional closure for a wine bottle. Yet one of its drawbacks is that it can actually cause a wine fault.  And, have you ever had a bottle of wine that "had turned to vinegar?"  Well both of these wine faults can ruin a bottle of wine. So let's explore the causes.

Cork taint is due to some degree by natural chemical compounds found in cork.  Known formally as 2,4,6-Trichloroanisole (or TCA for short), this compound, when combined with chlorine and mold can result in a wine that smells like wet cardboard, wet cement or a wet dog. And you don't want to smell these scents when drinking a wine.  It only takes a few parts per trillion to taint a bottle of wine. The results can also be very subtle. With faint levels of TCA, a wine will be striped of flavor leaving a normally rich, fruity wine tasting quite dull or muted.  Often it is so subtle that after drinking the wine you are simply left disappointed without being able to determine why.  Although the cork industry states that only 1% - 2% of corks may be tainted with TCA, Wine Spectator found in 2012 that 3.7% of the bottle they sampled were tainted, down from 9.5% in 2007.  So maybe this is the reason for so many disappointing bottles of wine.

In addition to cork taint, another wine flaw is finding a bottle of wine that has "turned to vinegar."  But can wine really turn to vinegar? The answer is technically yes. But not really.  Without getting into too many technical details, the reason that vinegar tastes like vinegar is acetic acid.  And acetic acid can form in wine when it gets 'infected' with Acetibacter bacteria. This bacteria occurs naturally in the air and on fruit. But it isn't really fair to call tainted wine 'vinegar' since it tastes really bad. It's not something you'd want to mix with olive oil and pour over your salad.

If you ever encounter a bad bottle of wine, as odd as it sounds, do smell it and learn from it. And especially if a wine server takes back a bottle after opening it without even pouring it, ask to have them explain how and why the wine is bad.  Use it as a learning moment.

A couple final thoughts. First, there are no negative health affects of drinking tainted wine.  But who'd want to? And, second, if you do come across a bottle of wine that has gone bad, know that you can return it to the store where you purchased it or, at a restaurant, send it back for another one. 

May all your wines be fresh and wonderful! Cheers!

Is Your Wine Too Hot, Too Cold or Just Right?

It is said that most American's drink their white wines too cold and their red wines too warm. And I've certainly observed this myself.  Wine flavors can be amazing, but serving a wine too cold or too warm can significantly affect a wine's flavors. While the serving temperature that is just right for you is a matter of individual taste, there are some common rules of thumb.

When it comes to light white wines, sparkling wines and rosé, the common thought is that they should be served in the range of 40 to 50 degrees Fahrenheit (F). A more full-bodied white wine, such as Chardonnay, should be served in the 50 to 60 F range.  And as you can see, these temperatures are well above the typical refrigerator temperature of 34 F.  When a wine is served too cold, the flavors are not allowed to fully come out. So you end up with flat, bland or weak tasting white wines.

A friend of mine recently commented that he had never really liked Chardonnay. He was more of a red wine drinker.  But during a winery visit he had been served a Chardonnay and really liked it.  Not just because it was a nice Chardonnay, but because it was being served well above the refrigerator temperature that he was used to. So at the proper temperature he got to truly experience all the flavors of Chardonnay for the first time.  It was a real eye opener for him.

For red wines, the lighter and fruitier ones can be served in the range of 50 to 60 F with full-bodied reds being in the 60 to 65 F range.  These temperatures are well below 'room temperature.'  Serving a red wine too warm can make it more harsh, exaggerate the tannin and enhance the mouth-feel of the alcohol causing a burning sensation.

If you do have a white wine in the refrigerator, pull it out and let it sit for 30 minutes. And, if you have a bottle of red that's at room temperature, put it in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.  Or better yet, invest in a wine refrigerator that will ensure your wines are stored and served at just the right temperature. Cheers!

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Behind the Cork™ Wine of the Week - Stags' Leap Merlot ($20)

Looking for an attainable, affordable wine?  You've come to the right place. Each week I feature just such a wine that may be great for taking to a party, enjoying with a dinner or just sipping on Wine Wednesday. 

This week's wine is Stags' Leap Merlot. This medium-bodied wine from Napa Valley is an excellent wine at $20. Nice big flavor of berry fruit with soft tannin and a smooth finish. You can't go wrong with a wine from Stags' Leap.

Do You Need a Different Wine Glass for Each Varietal?

You may have seen that some wine glass manufacturers make different glasses for different varietals of wine made.  So, it would seem, you could end up with a couple dozen sets of wine glasses just to make sure you have the 'right' glass for each wine.

If money and shelf space were no object, having a wide variety of wine glasses would be a fine approach. And the wine glass manufacturers would love for you to purchase multiple sets of wine glasses.  But practically speaking, you can get away with two or three different types of wine glasses.

First, as previously described, you should have a tall, large bowl, stemmed red wine glass.  This will allow you to enjoy all the aromas and favors that a red wine has to offer.

Second, you should have a smaller stemmed glass, with a more U-shaped bowl, for a white wine.  Not a whole lot smaller.  Remember, even with a white wine you are not filling the glass, just pouring to about one-third full. And you can use these for sparkling wines as well.

Finally,  you might consider picking up an inexpensive set of multipurpose wine glasses for occasions when you are outside. Whether the backyard, a picnic or the beach, accidents happen and you don't want to put any of your nicer stemware at risk.

So this wraps up the series on wine glasses.  Remember, the type of wine glass you choose can truly enhance your wine drinking experience. Cheers!

Why Choose a Wine Glass with a Stem?

The type of glass that you use affects the wine drinking experience. Its look and feel play a part, as does the size and shape of the glass. What then about a stemmed glass versus a stemless glass?

Stemless glasses can be fun, and with the right size, shape and thickness, they can offer a nice wine drinking experience. But you should really step up to a stemmed glass once you start exploring nicer wines. Now, the reasons for a stemmed glass may seem a bit 'snobby' but hear me out. A stem is important for several reasons.  

First, a stem allows you to keep your hand and fingers off the bowl of the wine glass.  Why is this important?  Well, it keeps the bowl of your wine glass clean and clear of unsightly fingerprints and smudges. This makes for a more visually pleasing look of your glass.

Second, a stemmed wine glass allows you to hold the wine glass properly - by the stem.  This is important when you swirl your glass.  The topic of why one swirls a wine glass was previously addressed, but to summarize, it allows the wine to gain additional exposure to air and it allows for greater release of the wine's aroma for that all-important combination of taste and smell. Swirling with a stemmed glass is easy, whether you are holding the stem in your hand or if you are doing a tabletop swirl.

Third, because the sense of smell plays such an important role in the taste and enjoyment of wine, you want to avoid introducing other smells while sipping wine.  And the object that is always near your nose as you drink is your hand.  By using a stemmed wine glass, you keep your hand and any hand smells (food, perfume, lotions, etc.) sufficiently away from your nose.

Finally, a stemmed wine glass is important to the serving temperature of a wine.  Holding a wine glass by the stem does not transfer any of your body heat to the wine.  Red wines are generally served in the 62° F to 68° F range, while whites are served between 50 to 55° F.  By holding the glass by the stem, it avoids your 98° F degree hand from affecting the wine's temperature.

So, there are definitely differences between a stemmed versus a stemless wine glass. And, for the reasons above, you will have a finer wine drinking experience when holding a stemmed wine glass. Cheers!

What's the Best Type of Wine Glass?

Last time, our senses of sight, touch, taste and smell were discussed.  The look and feel of a wine glass plays an important role in our wine drinking experience, as does smell and taste.  But, the shape of the wine glass also plays an important role.

Red wine glasses are generally taller and are tapered at the top to help keep in some of the wine's aroma. The bowls of red wine glasses are larger and rounder with a larger opening than other wine glasses of similar capacities in order to allow your nose into the glass to smell the aroma. This bowl style is also important because the complex aromas and flavors of red wine require a glass with a larger surface area to ensure that the wine comes in contact with plenty of air. 

Conversely, white wine glasses are a bit shorter and have smaller bowls. The bowl of a white wine glass will be more U-shaped with the sides being more upright than that of a red wine glass, allowing the aromas to be released. 

With both red and white wine glasses, you should choose clear glass for the bowl, stem and base.  This is important because it allows you to see the true coloring of the wine without it being obscured. And, color matters.

But do you need both types of wine glasses? You can certainly get by with one set of glasses, but when drinking a number of different varietals you may find that the glassware is limiting your experience, especially if you choose to drink red wine out of a smaller white wine glass.  So, plan on having at least two types of wine glasses.  Some would also recommend having a third type, a flute, for sparkling wine. But, unless you just want to look at a lot of bubbles, go with a white wine glass. 

While the various shapes and sizes can be overwhelming, a proper varietal-glass pairing can make a difference.  Oh, and then there's the subject of the stem.  And, that's a whole other story that we'll address next time.

So, whether it's a red or a white, find the proper glass, fill it no more than a third full, swirl, smell, sip and savor. Cheers!