How to know if wine is still good?

Before you pour a questionable bottle for guests, here's a quick three-step check that any wine drinker can do. It takes about 30 seconds and can save you from serving something unpleasant.

Step 1 : Look at it. Pour a small amount and tilt the glass against a white background. A healthy red wine shows purple (if young) to garnet (if mature) hues. If the edge looks brown or brick-coloured and the wine is supposed to be young, that's oxidation. For whites, a deep gold or amber colour (unless it's a deliberately oxidative style like Vin Jaune) is a warning sign.

Step 2 : Smell it. This is where most faults reveal themselves. The big ones: vinegar smell (acetic acid from bacterial contamination), wet cardboard or musty basement (TCA cork taint, affects about 3-5 % of cork-sealed bottles), bruised apple or sherry-like notes (oxidation), and rotten eggs or struck match (reduction, this one can sometimes be fixed by decanting). If the wine smells clean and fruity, you're almost certainly fine.

Step 3 : Taste a sip. A faulty wine tastes sharp and vinegary, completely devoid of fruit, watery in texture, and finishes abruptly. A wine that's simply past its peak (but not faulty) tastes flat and dull, drinkable but not enjoyable.

One important note: crystals at the bottom of the bottle (tartrate) and sediment are NOT faults. Tartrate crystals are harmless and natural, sometimes called "wine diamonds." Sediment in old wine is actually a sign of quality. Just decant carefully and enjoy.

When in doubt, trust your nose. If it smells off, it almost certainly tastes off. And remember: a bad wine won't hurt you, it just won't bring you any pleasure.