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.
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Fighting the Funk in Funky Wine Scientists in Australia have sequenced the Brettanomyces genome – a breakthrough that will ‘future-proof’ the industry against spoilage by the yeast organism known as brett. Brett is widely know to spoil wine with medicinal or metallic flavors, often described as “funk”. ‘Sequencing the brett genome, which reveals its genetic blueprint, means the Australian wine industry can future-proof its strategy against brett and the risk of spoilage,’ Australian…
