Corked Wine: What It Is, Why It Happens, and What to Do About It

When a bottle of wine is corked wine, a wine spoiled by a chemical compound called TCA that gives it a damp cardboard or musty smell. Also known as TCA contamination, it’s one of the most misunderstood flaws in wine—many people think it’s just old wine or poor storage, but it’s actually a specific chemical problem tied to the cork itself. You won’t find this in every bottle, but if you’ve ever opened a wine that smelled like a wet basement or a damp towel, you’ve met corked wine.

This isn’t about bad wine—it’s about TCA, a chemical compound called 2,4,6-trichloroanisole that forms when mold interacts with chlorine-based cleaners used in cork production. It doesn’t hurt you, but it kills the flavor. Even tiny amounts—parts per trillion—can turn a $50 bottle into something you’d pour down the drain. The good news? It’s not the cork’s fault alone. Wineries have cut TCA levels by over 90% in the last 20 years thanks to better cork cleaning and alternatives like screw caps and synthetic closures. Still, it happens, especially in older bottles or those sealed with natural cork.

How do you tell if your wine is corked? Smell it first—no swirling, no sipping. If it smells like wet newspaper, moldy cardboard, or a damp basement, it’s likely corked. The fruit flavors vanish, leaving behind flat, lifeless notes. You won’t taste it right away—you’ll notice the absence of flavor. Compare it to a fresh bottle of the same wine, and the difference hits hard. This isn’t a matter of preference. It’s a flaw, and it’s not rare. One in every 20 to 50 bottles still shows signs of TCA, according to industry tests.

What can you do? If you’re at a restaurant, send it back. No excuses. A good sommelier will replace it without question. If you bought it at a store, most will take it back if you bring the bottle and receipt. Keep the wine—don’t pour it out—because you might need to show it as proof. And if you’re at home and you’re not sure? Pour a small amount into a clean glass, swirl it, smell again. Sometimes the cork smell fades after a few minutes. If it doesn’t? It’s corked.

And here’s the thing: not every odd smell is corked wine. Wine can have funky notes from yeast, sulfur, or even oxidation—but those are different problems. Corked wine has one signature odor: damp, musty, lifeless. Nothing else smells quite like it. Once you’ve smelled it once, you’ll never forget it.

Below, you’ll find real stories and practical guides from wine lovers who’ve dealt with corked wine—how they spotted it, how they reacted, and what they learned. Some of these posts even help you avoid it altogether, whether you’re buying wine online, storing bottles at home, or ordering by the glass. This isn’t just about fixing a bad bottle. It’s about understanding what’s really going on when your wine doesn’t taste right—and how to trust your nose again.