For some, tasting wine is an art – each sip revealing layers of complexity, subtle aromas, and delicate balance. For others, it’s simply a delicious drink to enjoy. But whether you’re a seasoned sommelier or a casual sipper, knowing how to detect and fix wine faults can enhance your appreciation and prevent disappointment.
While wine faults can render a bottle undrinkable, some are minor issues that can be remedied, while others are often mistaken for faults when they’re actually harmless. This guide will walk you through the most common wine faults, how to detect them, and how to avoid them in the first place.
Common wine faults: How to spot and fix them
1. OXIDISED WINE
What it is: Oxidation occurs when wine is exposed to too much oxygen, causing it to lose its freshness and develop dull, flat flavours. White wines turn deep yellow or brown, while reds lose vibrancy and taste stale or sherried.
How to detect it: If your wine smells like bruised apples, nuts, or even vinegar and tastes lifeless, oxidation is likely the culprit.
How to fix it: Unfortunately, once oxidation has set in, it’s irreversible. The best prevention is proper storage – keep wine bottles tightly sealed and store them in a cool, dark place. If drinking over multiple days, use a vacuum pump or inert gas spray to preserve the wine.
2. CORK TAINT (TCA CONTAMINATION)
What it is: Caused by a chemical compound called TCA (trichloroanisole), cork taint gives wine an unpleasant, musty odour, often compared to damp cardboard, wet dog, or mouldy basement.
How to detect it: If your wine smells muted, stale, or damp, and the flavours seem dulled or completely lifeless, it could be corked.
How to fix it: There’s no real fix for a corked wine, but you can try a hack – pouring the wine through a sheet of plastic wrap, which can bind to TCA and reduce its impact. The best way to avoid cork taint is to choose wines with screw caps or synthetic corks.
3. SULPHUR IN WINE
What it is: Sulphur compounds, such as sulphur dioxide (SO2), are used to preserve wine, but when excessive, they can create off-putting aromas of burnt matchsticks, rotten eggs, or cabbage.
How to detect it: If your wine has a sharp, acrid smell upon opening, it may have too much sulphur.
How to fix it: Letting the wine breathe can help – simply swirl the glass or decant the wine to allow the sulphur compounds to dissipate.
4. HEAT DAMAGE (COOKED WINE)
What it is: Heat exposure, often called ‘cooked wine’, happens when bottles are stored in hot or warm conditions. This can cause the wine to expand, pushing the cork out slightly, and lead to stewed or jammy flavours with flat acidity.
How to detect it: A wine that tastes overly sweet, flat, or ‘cooked’, or has a slightly pushed-up cork, may have suffered heat damage.
How to fix it: There’s no way to reverse heat damage. To avoid it, store wine at a stable temperature (ideally 12-15°C) and avoid leaving bottles in warm areas, like a kitchen or near a window where temperatures can fluctuate.
5. LIGHT STRIKE
What it is: Ultraviolet light (particularly from fluorescent lights or direct sunlight) can degrade certain compounds in wine, especially delicate white and sparkling wines, making them smell like wet wool or boiled cabbage.
How to detect it: If a light-exposed bottle smells strangely sulphurous or dull, it may have light strike.
How to fix it: There’s no fix, but prevention is key – wine is mostly sold in coloured glass bottles to help prevent light damage but storing it properly can also help – best places to store wine is in a dark place away from light sources and direct sunlight.
6. ACCIDENTAL BUBBLES
What it is: Still wines sometimes develop unexpected fizz due to unintended secondary fermentation in the bottle, which can be caused by leftover sugar and yeast.
How to detect it: If your red or white wine is slightly fizzy when it shouldn’t be, it may have undergone an accidental fermentation.
How to fix it: Swirling or decanting can help release excess Carbon Dioxide (CO2). While not harmful, it may indicate poor bottling practices.
Not all ‘faults’ are actually faults
Some things that seem like faults are actually natural characteristics of wine. Here are a few common misconceptions:
1. WINE SEDIMENT
What it is: Over time, red wines can develop sediment, which consists of tannins and colour pigments falling out of suspension. It’s natural and harmless.
How to deal with it: Simply decant the wine to separate the sediment before drinking.
2. TARTRATE CRYSTALS
What it is: These tiny, glass-like crystals sometimes form in white wines, especially when stored at cold temperatures. They are made of tartaric acid and are completely natural.
How to deal with it: They don’t affect taste – just let them settle or pour the wine carefully. Some producers cold-stabilise wines to prevent this.
3. VOLATILE ACIDITY (VINEGAR TAINT)
What it is: All wines contain some level of volatile acidity (VA), which contributes to complexity. However, excessive VA can make a wine smell like nail polish remover or vinegar.
How to deal with it: If it’s overwhelming, the wine may be faulty. But a slight presence, especially in bold reds, can add character.0
4. BRETTANOMYCES (BRETT)
What it is: Brett is a wild yeast that can give wine earthy, leathery, or barnyard aromas. While some see it as a fault, others (especially fans of Rhone and Bordeaux wines) appreciate its complexity.
How to deal with it: If you dislike Brett, there’s no way to remove it, but aeration can sometimes soften the aromas.
While some wine faults are unavoidable, many can be spotted early and prevented with proper storage and handling. Understanding these nuances can help you enjoy wine more fully and make informed choices when buying or serving a bottle. And remember, not every unusual trait in wine is a flaw – sometimes, it’s just part of what makes wine so fascinating. Cheers! 🍷