Mar 19

Written by: Janice Robinson
3/19/2008 2:45 PM 

To answer the first part of the question, it can be one of three things.

The most common reason for this unfortunate situation is cork taint a.k.a. “corked” wine.  In technical terms the chief cause of cork taint is the presence of 2,4,6-trichloroanisole or TCA, a naturally occurring airborne mould absorbed by the cork tree, generally in conjunction with an industrial pollutant found in many pesticides and wood preservatives.  The characteristic odour of corked wine is that of moldy newspaper, wet dog or damp basement.  Although there is no health risk if drunk, corked wine is generally considered undrinkable.

The second possibility for a bad tasting bottle of wine, may be Volatile Acidity also known as VA.  Volatile Acidity refers to the organic acids found in grape juice, more commonly known as acetic acid.  Acetic acid is produced by a bacterium that can be introduced to damaged grapes, grape juice and wine, by vinegar flies or contaminated equipment.  A bottle of wine with VA will have a strong vinegary odour and taste, and again is considered to be undrinkable.

Lastly, a prune-like, old smelling/tasting bottle of wine can be caused by something within our control.  Temperature fluctuations and bottled wine do not mix well.  Wines should be stored in a cool, ventilated area away from direct sunlight or UV light.  Kitchens and dining rooms are not the best place to store wine, so plan to use a space located in a basement or even a closet.  During the summer we see an increase in customers complaining that their favorite wine does not taste right. 

We refer to this as “cooked” wine, generally because wine has been stored in a room that is to warm and bright, or has been left in a car parked in the sun.   To this end we recommend leaving your purchases of wine to the end of your shopping day, or simply store a cooler bag or chest in your trunk to avoid being disappointed.

In answer to the second part of the question, yes you can return a bottle of wine if it has been “corked” or has fallen prey to VA.  Both of these situations are undetectable until the wine is opened, and we can indeed replace them.  We ask that the bottle you return be at least ¾ full as required by Liquor Board of B.C.  If however, your wine has been affected by temperature fluctuations, something within your control, we cannot replace the wine.