How to spot a corked wine in 3 seconds (and avoid disappointment at the table)

A corked wine is every wine lover’s nightmare. It can happen even to the best bottles. But how do you know if it’s truly a cork issue, or just a wine that has aged poorly?

Before declaring your bottle unfit for drinking, here’s how to detect a faulty cork in seconds—and what you can (sometimes) do to salvage the situation.

📌 Why Does Wine Become Corked?

It all comes down to TCA (trichloroanisole), a molecule that contaminates certain corks and gives wine an unpleasant taste of mold, damp cardboard, or a musty basement.

💀 Main causes of a corked wine:
❌ A contaminated cork from the start → A factory defect, impossible to prevent.
❌ Improper storage in high humidity → Can intensify unwanted aromas.
❌ A winery production issue → Some batches are more affected if the cellar is contaminated.

👉 TCA contamination is random and affects only a fraction of bottles. But when it’s yours… it stings.

📌 How to Tell If Your Wine Is Corked

🔥 1️⃣ The smell: wet cardboard, mold, damp cellar
Your nose is your best friend. If your wine smells like an old attic or an abandoned basement, it’s a bad sign.

🔥 2️⃣ The taste: flat, dry, dull
A corked wine loses its fruitiness and becomes dull, flavorless, and sometimes bitter.

🔥 3️⃣ The cork itself can give a clue
If the cork smells bad, be suspicious. But beware—a clean cork doesn’t guarantee a non-corked wine.

👉 Bottom line? Trust your nose and palate. If it smells off and tastes lifeless, it’s game over.

📌 What You Can (or Can’t) Do About It

✅ 1. Try aerating it (if in doubt)
💡 Sometimes, the musty smell fades slightly with aeration.
📌 Decant the wine for 30 minutes to see if it improves.
📌 But if it still tastes flat and smells musty… toss it.

✅ 2. Try the “plastic wrap” trick (last resort technique)
Some swear that plastic wrap can absorb TCA.
📌 Pour the wine into a decanter with a sheet of plastic wrap.
📌 Let it sit for 10–15 minutes, then taste.
📌 Placebo effect or real fix? It sometimes helps a little… but rarely works miracles.

❌ 3. Trying to mask the taste with food (bad idea)
A corked wine remains corked. No amount of cheese or spicy food will bring it back to life.

📌 Can You Avoid Buying a Corked Wine?

Unfortunately, no. Even the best wines can be affected. But you can reduce the risk:

✔️ Choose wines with technical corks (DIAM, Vinolok) → Less chance of TCA contamination.
✔️ Store bottles properly → Avoid excessive humidity.
✔️ Buy from trusted sources → A good wine shop will often replace a faulty bottle.

📌 Conclusion: What to Do If Your Wine Is Corked?

💡 Your options:
✅ Report it to the seller → A reputable wine shop may replace it.
✅ Give it to someone making vinegar → No waste, even if the wine is undrinkable.
✅ Move on and open another bottle → Sometimes, there’s just no saving it.

👉 Moral of the story? A corked wine is frustrating. But better to catch it early than ruin a meal by forcing it.