It’s always a good idea to crack open a bottle of wine over dinner and enjoy a glass or two with your meal. If we so happen to not finish the bottle that very same evening, the usual move would be to place it back in the fridge or back in storing.
However, be aware, not all wine is ideal for storing, and here are the clear signs your wine has gone bad and is not for drinking.
1. The smell is off – if you’re catching musty basement vibes, then know that wine has got to go. The same goes for if the wine smells or tastes like wet cupboard or vinegar, then you should know the wine is not to be consumed.
2. The red wine tastes sweet – If your red wine starts to taste like a dessert wine, of which it most definitely is not, then it means the bottle has been overexposed to heat and has become undrinkable.
3. The cork is pushed out slightly from the bottle – This is another sign that the wine has overheated and the cork has been expanded within the bottle.
4. The wine is brownish color – Seeing brown in red is not a good sign, and it means the liquid is past its prime. White wines meanwhile are usually oxidized if they have darkened to a deep yellow or brownish straw color.
5. You detect astringent or chemically flavors – If the wine lacks fruit or is too astringent it means the wine is bad. The same if it has a paint-thinner taste.
6. It tastes fizzy, although it is not a sparkling wine – If you have picked a still wine which has turned fizzy, know that is not a good thing at all. Rather, it means it has undergone a second fermentation after the bottling and is not to be enjoyed thereafter.
