How to Tell a Good Wine from a Bad Wine
There’s nothing quite as disappointing as reaching for a bottle of wine, only to discover it hasn’t been stored properly. The right storage is essential for preserving the rich flavours and aromas that make each sip a delight. In this article, we'll unveil the telltale signs that your wine has been compromised by improper storage, so you can enjoy every glass to its fullest.
- The Appearance
The first warning sign of a bad wine is it’s appearance. If a wine is looking slightly on the browner side and is cloudy, it has most likely become oxidised.
A good, stored wine will maintain its natural colour, a pale of golden colour for whites and a vibrant red for reds.
- The Smell
Once you’ve opened a bottle of wine, you can generally tell if it’s gone bad as soon as you get a waft of its aroma. If the wine has a sour smell such as vinegar or nail polish remover, it has most likely become oxidised. If the wine has a damp, musty or mouldy odour such as wet cardboard or in extreme cases, mould, it may be corked. This is known as cork taint, where the cork of the wine has been contaminated with a chemical compound TCA (trichlooanisole).
A well-stored wine should have a fresh aroma, with fruity, earthy or floral notes depending on the type of wine. A cork of a good wine will also be slightly moist.
- The Taste
While you can usually tell from the appearance or smell, the taste of a wine is a huge giveaway as to whether it has gone bad. If a wine has become spoiled, it will taste flat, sour or overly sharp, indicating an excessive exposure to heat, light or oxygen as a result of improper storage.
In contrast, a properly stored wine will taste fresh and harmonious.
By checking the appearance, smell and taste of a wine, you can easily tell if it has remained good or has gone bad. To stop your wine from going bad, it is crucial that you store it correctly – invest in a quality wine fridge from Grand Cru to prevent wine spoilage!
