Today more and more wines are bottled with metal screw caps. I understand it is more economical, and it reduces spoilage. If, however, you are opening a bottle of wine with a cork, consider these signs as a possible warning of spoiled wine, as mentioned in a Vinovest blog;
A bulging cork may indicate heat damage or an incorrectly sealed bottle.
A stuck cork may not have had enough oxygen, affecting its flavor.
When you open a bottle of red wine, check how saturated the cork is. Ideally, the cork should be lightly colored from the wine. If the cork is soaked, the wine might have spoiled. A crumbling cork for any wine may indicate spoilage.
You may hear the term “corked” wine. Corked wine has nothing to do with little bits of cork floating around in your wine. Just strain those bits out with a filter. Corked wine is a wine that has probably come in contact with a fungicide (pesticides) or bleach that was used in the sanitation process. I have found that this occurrence is becoming more and more rare. Winemakers do not want this to happen for obvious reasons. Signs of a corked wine include funky, moldy odor, wet cardboard, dog smell, and musty odors.
When opening a bottle of sparkling wine, cut and remove the foil around the neck of the bottle, then loosen the metal cage. At the same time, you firmly grip the cage with your thumb securely over the cork. Using your other hand, twist the bottom of the bottle until you feel the cork releasing. Then, gently ease the cork out. We don’t want the cork to explode from the bottle, creating a mess or striking someone’s face.
For the best taste, consider the wine’s temperature and serve red wine between 55- and 65-degrees Fahrenheit. Try to serve white wine between 41- and 48- degrees Fahrenheit.
Pour the right amount of wine by having about four ounces of red wine in the glass, three ounces of white wine, and five ounces of sparkling wine.
These are just a few things I’ve learned the “hard way.” I hope you can learn from the mistakes I’ve made in the past. Cheers!
