Here's the Real Reason You Taste Wine Before the Waiter Pours

It's a common misconception that tasting wine before a waiter pours it for the table is to confirm you like the taste. That small sample is actually to ensure the wine isn't flawed in some way. The most common affliction to befall an otherwise good bottle is that it's corked, in which case you should definitely send it back. An estimated 1% to 7% of bottles are corked. If you imbibe regularly, chances are good that you'll come across one at some point, and knowing how to spot a bad bottle will save you from having to pay for it. To get the skinny on corked wine, we turned to an expert for tips. What is corked wine? "A corked wine is caused by a compound called trichloroanisole, or TCA, which contaminates the cork, bottle or wine itself during harvest, production or even shipping," said Vinnie Miliano, bar manager for the famed Waldorf Astoria Chicago. TCA often exists as fungi in corks, but can also present itself in pesticides, preservatives and cleaning products found in winerie ... Read full article.