How to tell if a wine is corked

You may well have come across the problem without recognising it but what are the signs that a wine is ‘corked’? Fortunately these days many wines are sealed with alternative closures such as synthetic corks or screwcaps but with the traditional cork it can still affect as many as one in 10 wines.

First of all it doesn’t mean - as quite a few people think - that there are little bits of cork floating around on the top of the wine which can happen if the cork breaks as you open the bottle. It describes a wine that has become contaminated by a substance called Trichloroanisole (TCA) - usually via the cork. Even at quite low levels this can affect the flavour of the wine making it taste musty or simply dulling the flavours of the wine so it doesn’t taste as fresh and fruity as you expect.

People’s susceptibility to cork taint varies quite considerably, some being able to pick up the barest trace, others needing a wine to taste positively unpleasant in order to detect it. You should be able to pick it up when you swirl and sniff the wine in the glass though sometimes, if the wine is chilled, it may not become apparent until you’ve taken a few sips. In a restaurant the staff who pour the wine should strictly check that it’s in condition when they pour some for you to taste but they may be unfamiliar with the flavour and aroma of a corked wine too.

If you feel unhappy with the wine though don’t hesitate to send it back - though obviously don’t drink your way through the best part of the bottle before you do so! If your waiter disagrees, ask the manager to try the wine. You should get the bottle replaced.

At home it’s always worth trying a wine yourself before pouring it for your guests. Again, if there’s a problem with it, take it back to the shop from which you bought it or write to the company if it’s a mail order or online purchase. It’s also worth having a back-up wine to pour in case there’s a problem.

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