Defects in Wine

A Discussion of the Major Wine Flaws: Tips on How to Taste Wine

© Alan Boehmer

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How we can tell if a wine is truly sound. Are flaws always bad?

Wine is a complex chemical soup consisting mostly of water, alcohol and organic acids. But other compounds present in minute quantities can totally alter the character of the wine. All wines have some of these compounds, It's a matter of proportion that counts here and different winemakers have different views of just what should be allowed and how much. The problem for consumers is to accurately identify these flaws and not confuse them with such things as terroir or soil characteristics.

Sending Back Wine in a Restaurant

Restaurant etiquette does not allow us to return a wine because we don't like it. We may—and should—return a wine if it is clearly flawed. Returned wines are normally retasted by the wine manager or sommelier. Since a restaurant isn't in a very good position to argue the point, we never hear the results of the retasting. A fresh bottle is offered. Often it will taste the same as the returned bottle. So what are some of the most common flaws that justify returning the wine?

Common Wine Flaws


The copyright of the article Defects in Wine in New World Wine is owned by Alan Boehmer. Permission to republish Defects in Wine must be granted by the author in writing.


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