When Wine Goes Bad

Ever open that luscious bottle of wine you've been saving only to have vinegar waiting for you?It's a pain because it's expensive and also a waste of money. I've had that happen to me lately and it was not a fun experience.Not to mention it was a blueberry wine form one of my favorite wineries that I had been saving.

Wine can go off for a number of reasons. As with mine, it was exposed to high levels of heat during the winter. Instead of placing it automatically in my basement I had let it sit out. Unfortunately it was in direct line with my heating vent. My Mom suspects that the wine was "cooked" and thus transformed into a blueberry vinegar (which was so sour that I couldn't even use it for vinegar). I've learned from this and also discovered why wine cellars are in the coolest region of any house. Most vintages usually get oxidized meaning there's a certain amount of oxygen that got in , usually after the bottle has been opened or uncorked. Also mold plays an important part in ruining a wine.If the grapes were moldy to begin with , then the wine will be too.

How do you know your wine is bad? The bouquet if there is one (I couldn't tell by smell with mine because there was no aroma wafting from the bottle) Sometimes there will be a strong vinegar smell. Sometimes there will be a strong caramel smell especially if the wine bottle has been put on a hot stove. There's also a musty odor thanks to improper bottling .

Wine gone bad? yes that do happen. However it can be avoided whit proper storage and handling. As with any foodstuff it should be respected and handled with care.