Hill Rag

The Wine Guys

When is a Bottle of Wine Bad?

by: Jon Genderson

Wine drinking should not be stressful. In fact, it should be just the opposite. Yet the waiter brings you the bottle and shoves it in your face, the stress level rises. Is that what I ordered? I can’t even see the vintage without my glasses. The waiter than pulls the cork and places it in front of you. What do you do with it? If you’ve already had a few cocktails you can put it in your ear, but please just leave it on the table. I suggest you don’t smell it because it probably smells like, well, cork.

At this point, the waiter pours a small amount of wine into your glass. In some restaurants, it is too small an amount to smell or taste. Feel free to ask for more. The waiter than holds the bottle a mere 12 inches from your face and waits for you to proclaim the worthiness of the wine. Everyone at the table is staring at you. You have to decide fast! Even a wine expert can be taken aback by the hurriedness of this situation. It shouldn’t be this stressful.

So what should you do? Take your time, swirl the wine around in the glass to release the bouquet. Slowly inhale the aroma. Unfortunately, most just opened wine may not have a lot of aroma, especially if it is a young red. Than taste the wine. Inhale air into your mouth to release the flavors into your olfactorys, than swallow. Now what? Is it good? Is it bad? Is the wine OK but I don’t like it? Do I like it but I know my wife won’t? Remember, you have to give the impatient waiter an answer NOW! To be fair, most waiters are patient and the pressure is merely perceived, but it can be there none the less. The solution is to learn what can be wrong with a wine and learn to identify it and distinguish bad wine from wine you just don’t like.

Corked Wine
There are several things that that can be wrong with a bottle of wine, the most common being a condition called “corked”. A “corked” wine is not just sealed with a cork but possesses a musty, moldy smell that is quite unpleasant. It can range from very strong to barely perceptible, but the wine will not show any fruit in the flavors. A “corked” wine has a small amount of a compound called TCA. Most experts agree that it comes from the cork placed in the bottle. It is random and occurs in almost one out of every twelve wines. If you get a “corked” wine, either return it to the store, or send it back in a restaurant. A bottle with a screw cap guarantees that the wine is not “corked.”

Bretanomyces
Another less common problem with a wine bottle is Bretanomyces, or Bret, a yeast that infects wood in a winery and somehow makes its way into the wine. It is most common in old wineries in Europe and many critics believe that it adds character to some older Burgundies. It imparts an earthy character without disturbing the wines fruit. This is a very hard character to identify as “earthy” is a common flavor in some wines.
Sediment
Europeans have the conception that Americans prefer their wines filtered so they won’t throw a sediment and will remain clear. Prove them wrong! The best wines are bottled unfiltered. Filtering wine removes all particulates so the wines don’t produce sediment but it robs them of character. Just stand your wines up for 24 hours before opening and pour gently and the wine will be just fine.
Tartrates
Another form of sediment is tartaric acid crystals. Tartaric acid is present in almost all wines and can precipitate out of suspension and form clear to white crystals in the wine. They will usually float to the bottom if the bottle is left standing and do not effect the taste of the wine. Wines stored upside down may have the crystals just under the cork and will come out with the first ounce of wine poured; just discard it.
Mold
Many older bottles are returned to my shop because there is mold under the capsule, on the cork. This is a sign that the cork was not treated with chlorine, a chemical thought to increase the likelihood of TCA, and that the wine was stored in high humidity. Humidity is essential for proper wine storage, preventing evaporation of the wine thru the cork. Mold on the outside of a bottle will not affect the wine; I wouldn’t drink wine with mold on the inside.

Fill
The fill is the level of wine in the bottle. It is usually about a quarter inch from the cork in most young wines. As a wine ages, the amount of wine in the bottle diminishes due to evaporation thru the cork. This is why humidity is so important in wine storage. The space between the wine and the cork is called ullage. It is normal and quite acceptable for wines over 15 years of age to be filled to the top or high in the shoulder.

You are now armed with the knowledge to go forth and seek good wine. Please remember this most important rule when tasting wine: first, let it be pleasant!

What to Drink on My Summer Vacation
I have been touting the virtues of New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc for quite some time and remarkably, they just keep getting better and better. Toho has just released their 2004 Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc ($15) and it will be my summer white this year. Tropical fruit bursts from the glass in this lively, crisp wine. It has flavors of lime and citrus with excellent minerality and finish that goes SNAP! It is equally as good on the deck or beach by itself as it is with halibut, salmon and shellfish. Delicious!

Jon Genderson of Schneider’s of Capitol Hill can be reached at 1.800.377.1461 or visit www.cellar.com.


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The Wine Guys
When is a Bottle of Wine Bad?
by: Jon Genderson
Wine drinking should not be stressful. In fact, it should be just the opposite. Yet the waiter brings you the bottle and shoves it in your face, the stress level rises. Is that what I ordered? I can’t even see the vintage without my glasses. The waiter than pulls the cork and places it in front of you. What do you do with it? If you’ve already had a few cocktails you can put it in your ear, but please just leave it on the table. I suggest you don’t smell it because it probably smells like, well, cork. At this point, the waiter pours a small amount of wine into your glass. In some restaurants, it is too small an amount to smell or taste. Feel free to ask for more. The waiter than holds the bottle a mere 12 inches from your face and waits for you to proclaim the worthiness of the wine. Everyone at the table is staring at you. You have to decide fast! Even a wine expert can be taken aback by the hurriedness of this situation. It shouldn’t be this stressful. So what should you do? Take your time, swirl the wine around in the glass to release the bouquet. Slowly inhale the aroma. Unfortunately, most just opened wine may not have a lot of aroma, especially if it is a young red. Than taste the wine. Inhale air into your mouth to release the flavors into your olfactorys, than swallow. Now what? Is it good? Is it bad? Is the wine OK but I don’t like it? Do I like it but I know my wife won’t? Remember, you have to give the impatient waiter an answer NOW! To be fair, most waiters are patient and the pressure is merely perceived, but it can be there none the less. The solution is to learn what can be wrong with a wine and learn to identify it and distinguish bad wine from wine you just don’t like. Corked Wine There are several things that that can be wrong with a bottle of wine, the most common being a condition called “corked”. A “corked” wine is not just sealed with a cork but possesses a musty, moldy smell that is quite unpleasant. It can range from very strong to barely perceptible, but the wine will not show any fruit in the flavors. A “corked” wine has a small amount of a compound called TCA. Most experts agree that it comes from the cork placed in the bottle. It is random and occurs in almost one out of every twelve wines. If you get a “corked” wine, either return it to the store, or send it back in a restaurant. A bottle with a screw cap guarantees that the wine is not “corked.” Bretanomyces Another less common problem with a wine bottle is Bretanomyces, or Bret, a yeast that infects wood in a winery and somehow makes its way into the wine. It is most common in old wineries in Europe and many critics believe that it adds character to some older Burgundies. It imparts an earthy character without disturbing the wines fruit. This is a very hard character to identify as “earthy” is a common flavor in some wines. Sediment Europeans have the conception that Americans prefer their wines filtered so they won’t throw a sediment and will remain clear. Prove them wrong! The best wines are bottled unfiltered. Filtering wine removes all particulates so the wines don’t produce sediment but it robs them of character. Just stand your wines up for 24 hours before opening and pour gently and the wine will be just fine. Tartrates Another form of sediment is tartaric acid crystals. Tartaric acid is present in almost all wines and can precipitate out of suspension and form clear to white crystals in the wine. They will usually float to the bottom if the bottle is left standing and do not effect the taste of the wine. Wines stored upside down may have the crystals just under the cork and will come out with the first ounce of wine poured; just discard it. Mold Many older bottles are returned to my shop because there is mold under the capsule, on the cork. This is a sign that the cork was not treated with chlorine, a chemical thought to increase the likelihood of TCA, and that the wine was stored in high humidity. Humidity is essential for proper wine storage, preventing evaporation of the wine thru the cork. Mold on the outside of a bottle will not affect the wine; I wouldn’t drink wine with mold on the inside. Fill The fill is the level of wine in the bottle. It is usually about a quarter inch from the cork in most young wines. As a wine ages, the amount of wine in the bottle diminishes due to evaporation thru the cork. This is why humidity is so important in wine storage. The space between the wine and the cork is called ullage. It is normal and quite acceptable for wines over 15 years of age to be filled to the top or high in the shoulder. You are now armed with the knowledge to go forth and seek good wine. Please remember this most important rule when tasting wine: first, let it be pleasant! What to Drink on My Summer Vacation I have been touting the virtues of New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc for quite some time and remarkably, they just keep getting better and better. Toho has just released their 2004 Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc ($15) and it will be my summer white this year. Tropical fruit bursts from the glass in this lively, crisp wine. It has flavors of lime and citrus with excellent minerality and finish that goes SNAP! It is equally as good on the deck or beach by itself as it is with halibut, salmon and shellfish. Delicious! Jon Genderson of Schneider’s of Capitol Hill can be reached at 1.800.377.1461 or visit www.cellar.com.