Corked Wine

By: Sarah O'Brien - Senior Editor - floatingcork.com

It at first tasted like soap so I didn't say anything, after all, the wine was being served in my glasses. Besides, I am not a picky wine drinker and don't like to make a fuss (or draw attention to my lazy attempt at chores). But when everyone else started wrinkling their noses in reaction to the taste I thought that I may need to rinse my dishes better and was prepared to give a sheepish apology. But alas, I was saved by a corked bottle.

Corked bottle? As in, not yet opened? My mind was a cellar – I did not know what this meant. I was informed that a “corked” bottle meant a bottle contaminated with TCA 2,4,6-Trichloroanisole. I was intrigued (and a wee bit grossed out), but kept on drinking when I realized the contaminant was not harmful, even if it was displeasing.

A corked bottle, if you have never had the pleasure of experiencing one, has the flavor of a moldy basement. It is both oddly familiar and comforting, almost like a visit to grandma and grandpa's house. The road to a corked bottle is paved with many possibilities, improper production, handling and storage are just a few. It didn't bother me that the bottle was imperfect. Experts say that anywhere between 3-15% of all bottles are corked, and as my glass appeared to be half-full, I tipped it back and called it luck that I learned a valuable ($18) lesson in wine tasting.