Wine Faults
Learn to recognize when a bottle may be flawed — and how to tell a fault from a style.
What Makes a Wine Faulty?
A flaw is not the same as a style you dislike.
Cork Taint / TCA
The wet-cardboard smell that mutes a wine.
Oxidation & Heat Damage
When air or heat flattens a wine.
Reduction & Sulfur Notes
Struck-match smells — and when they blow off.
Volatile Acidity & Brett
Vinegar and barnyard — acceptable in trace, faulty in excess.
How to Handle a Faulty Bottle
Sending a bottle back with confidence, not attitude.