Sometimes when you open a bottle of still wine, you might find it to be unexpectedly sparkling. I’ve ran into this mainly with white wines which are light and fruity (i.e. Sauvignon Blanc, Albarino, Vinho Verde etc) and primarily with screw-cap sealed bottles. This is due to a winemaker sometimes adding a little CO2 to keep them crisp and refreshing. In white wines this is often referred to as “petillance”.
How to tell if your wine is affected The wine has a very lightly sparking appearance and there may also be an unpleasant smell.
Your course of action If the wine is white, don’t worry about it. If it’s red, it’s a problem. Bubbles may be a sign that the wine has unintentionally began a secondary fermentation in the bottle, and is most definitely a fault. Send it back.
Click here for the rest of my —-> A Guide to Wine Faults posts.
If you haven’t heard of Emilio Moro, they are a HUGE name in Spanish wine, and fortunately one that you are starting to see around Jacksonville a lot more! This interview was conducted at Taverna in San Marco, on the same day as my interview with Juan Muga. Jacksonville Wine Guide: Name? David Espinar from Emilio Moro. JWG: Job description? I belong to the Board of Directors for Emilio Moro, which was formed by the…
