Wine Wednesday: Faults to keep an eye on

Cracking open a bottle of wine after a long week is something many of us look forward to. Much to our dismay, sometimes the bottle we’ve locked our eyes on isn’t always what we expected – and not necessarily in a good way.

According to Wine Enthusiast Magazine, there are faults with some bottles that you should take note of. Make sure next time you’re sipping on your favorite wine, you notice the signs below that will help determine the quality and drinkability of your bottle.

Fault #1: Your bottle is too old.

How you’ll know:

Scents of wet mushrooms, an old wine will taste funky and hollow.

Cause:

You waited too long to indulge.

Fault #2: Your bottle had limited oxygen exposure.

How you’ll know:

Tastes of burnt rubber and lit matches.

Cause:

Lack of oxygen exposure during the winemaking process.

Fault #3: Your bottle had too much sulfur dioxide exposure.

How you’ll know:

Rotten egg smell, leaving a prickle in your nose and throat.

Cause:

Sulfur dioxide gas prevents spoiling, however too much can affect the taste of the wine.

Fault #4: Your bottle had yeast exposure.

How you’ll know:

Scents of a horse stable and/or body odor.

Cause:

Brettanomyces, natural yeast, landed in the wine barrel and reproduced within the wood, which has unfortunately tainted this batch of your favorite drink.