By The Glass
RANDY CHING
Plastic corks can
save wines from
smelly bacteriaI had a great opportunity recently -- I was invited to help out at a food and wine event and had the chance to open wines with the winemaker.
But at about the fourth bottle I uncorked, there it was, a moldy, musty aroma --like an old chest that hadn't been opened for at least 10 years.
The vintage of this particular wine was 2001, and it should have had the same fresh berry aromas as the other bottles. The mustiness was caused by a condition called Trichloranisole, or TCA. Sorry to get technical, but if you consume wine you need to know about this musty, unpleasant-smelling compound that can first develop on the bark of a cork tree and later find itself in the wine.
Being a sommelier, I come across "corked" wines frequently, in both reasonably priced and very expensive bottles. As long as the wine has a cork there is a risk of TCA.
Tragic? Yes. I place winemakers at the same level as artists or chefs, able to create works of art. To have one destroyed by a substance over which the winemaker has no control whatsoever is indeed tragic.
If you open a bottle of wine and suspect it could be tainted by TCA, take it back to the store. If you made your purchase from a knowledgeable retailer, someone in the store should be able to tell you if your suspicion is true. If the wine is truly corked, you should be able to recieve credit.
This bacteria has haunted the wine industry for decades, but a few winemakers have taken steps to protect their investments:
Randall Graham, of Bonny Doon Winery in California, was one of the first to come up with an alternative. His Malvasia Bianco Ca' del Solo 2001 ($20) is finished with a very stylish black plastic cork. Floral, elegant and pleasantly dry, the wine displays a very Mediterranean accent, but pairs great with Euro-Asian cuisine.
Villa Maria Sauvignon Blanc 2001, from New Zealand ($20), bypasses the cork completely for a twist cap. The wine is a very classic style with aromas of jalapeños and pepperccinis, flavors of grapefruit and a citrusy, dry finish. This wine is fantastic with crustaceans, cooked or raw, and crisp salads with tangy vinaigrette.
The Acacia Winery Pinot Noir 2000 ($30), from the Carneros region of Napa Valley has a two-piece plastic cork that actually looks like a natural cork. This very elegant wine, with hints of spice and soft berry fruit, is excellent with mild-flavored beef or veal dishes. It can also be paired with spicier seafood and poultry dishes.
Randy Ching is wine mater at the Halekulani.
This column is a weekly lesson in wine
pairing written by a rotating panel of wine professionals.
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