Have you purchased a bottle of fancy, expensive wine and left it in storage to bring out its best features – only to feel a little deflated when attempting to serve the wine? There are many potential reasons for this, but perhaps the most common issue many people face is simply that the wine was not stored properly, impacting its final quality. Fortunately, if this is something you have experienced, you can aim to ensure it doesn’t happen again by understanding what caused your bottle of wine to have spoiled in the first place.

Why Might Expensive Wine Spoil?

Did you know that it only takes a matter of days for a fine or expensive bottle of wine to spoil? Indeed, there are many different reasons why your expensive wine might have spoiled, and this will depend on the type of wine, the storage, and so on.

Nevertheless, as explained by ArT Wine Preserver, “This is the most common issue with opened wines and is the result of oxidation spoiling the wine. What you are smelling is acetic acid, the main ingredient in vinegar. This smell is common [in] spoiled wine. This [fact] means the wine has had too much contact with oxygen ... [which] has caused it to turn.

Most of the time, this occurs with wine that has been open for a few days. Occasionally, unopened wine oxidizes through the cork. Sometimes this is by design; for example, heavy red wines from Bordeaux are famously expensive and age for decades. This oxidization slowly softens the wine over time.”

However, it’s worth considering that there are also many other reasons your expensive wine might spoil. For example, cork taint can be a big problem if the cork has gotten contaminated. Meanwhile, if the wine has not fermented properly (hopefully less common with well-made expensive wines) you may also notice an unpleasant smell or aroma due to sulfur compounds in the wine.

Remember, just because an expensive bottle of wine doesn’t guarantee it to be high-quality. You should always do your research thoroughly first, as such, to reduce the chances of buying a disappointing bottle of wine.

Join our BC Wine Club Instead

If you want the best from your bottle of wine but feel a little disheartened after your expensive bottle of wine is spoiled, why not join our BC wine club instead? We strive to deliver some of the highest quality bottles of wine for every member of our wine club, and we work tirelessly to ensure your wine is finished to the highest standard. After all, if you ask us, every deserves to enjoy a fine bottle of wine, and this is something we’ll never compromise on!