🍷 Cork taint
A smell of wet cardboard from a spoiled cork.
Cork taint is a smell of wet cardboard, mould or a damp cellar in wine. It is caused by the substance trichloroanisole, or TCA. A wine with this smell is called corked, and it is one of the best-known wine faults.
Where does it come from? Most often the substance appears in a natural cork. It forms when mould reacts with chlorine. From there it passes into the wine. The taint itself is not harmful to health, but the taste and aroma of the wine are sharply reduced.
There are ways to avoid the problem. Wines with a synthetic stopper or a screw cap do not have this taint, because they contain no natural cork. Many producers choose such closures for this reason, although natural cork remains the classic.
Cork taint belongs to the group of wine faults. If a bottle smells of cardboard or mould, it can usually be replaced or returned to the shop. Some people notice the smell strongly, others hardly at all.
What it includes
Links
- Next step
- 🍷 Natural cork
- What it affects
- 🍷 2,4,6-Trichloroanisole
- What affects it
- 🍷 Natural cork, 🍷 Synthetic cork, 🍷 Screw cap
- Part of
- 🍷 Wine faults
Frequently asked questions
What is cork taint in wine?
A smell of wet cardboard or mould caused by the substance trichloroanisole (TCA) from a spoiled cork.
Is cork taint dangerous?
It is usually not harmful to health, but it greatly spoils the taste and aroma of the wine.
How can cork taint be avoided?
By choosing wines with a synthetic stopper or screw cap, which have no natural cork.