Beer Snobs vs. Wine Snobs

I think that as the price goes up there is a tendency for some of us to become snobbish experts in part to justify our increasingly expensive habit. Art, antiques, automobiles all have their share of afficianados and writers who can be quite full of themselves. As it is with the sometimes windy descriptions of beer and wine we read.

If they're sniffing the cork, they are most assuredly not an actual wine expert. Sniffing the cork tells you nothing other than what cork smells like. *Inspecting* the cork, on the other hand, can give a hint that the wine may be off, if you notice that the cork is dry, cracked, etc. The first taste is also part of that evaluation process, to ensure it's not off.

You're going to get poseurs anytime there's something that's developed some prestige, or there's some sort of status to be conferred with knowledge and expertise. And while it's difficult for people to taste things in isolation and correctly identify them, a good taster will be able to tell that two things are different, and also be able to tell if something doesn't match the stated style.

-Steve

< If they're sniffing the cork, they are most assuredly not an actual wine expert. Sniffing the cork tells you nothing other than what cork smells like. >

The above is not necessarily true. If the wine has "turned" and has a medicine-y or vinegar-like smell, smelling the cork would be your first clue that something might be wrong. Your friend aside, I would expect a cabernet to smell like a cab, a pinot to smell like a pinot, etc.

Don't you love the smell of a great stout or IPA? I believe you downplay one of our most useful senses.....IMHO.

*Inspecting* the cork, on the other hand, can give a hint that the

I don't think he did. In the "cork-sniffing" scenario, what always happens immediately after the sniff, regard- less of how the cork smells? Yup, a small quantity is poured into the glass, where it is sniffed, then quaffed. I suspect the vinegar would be noticed at that point.

I am not in any way downplaying smell. I'm saying that smelling a cork isn't going to tell you much. Yeah, could sniff wine that's gone to vinegar from the cork. In my experience, I can sniff that without the cork getting anywhere close to my nose.

-Steve

At the end of a good meal after the wine is finished and we are working on a desert I enjoy giving the cork a few sniffs. Strange I guess, but the aroma of a good wine even from the cork gives me a lot of pleasure.

mrbetelman wrote:

Hi Steve,

Right. There is actually a scientific reason to visuallyl inspect the cork -- to examine whether the end pointing into the bottle is slightly swollen and moist, signalling it's been in contact with the wine for a good period of time.

Corks breathe very easily, and while a certain amount of oxidation is good for developing flavors and assisting acids in balancing over time, a dry cork allows too much oxidation to occur. Lots of wines are shipping standing up -- but for long-term storage, should be stored on their sides, so the wine comes in contact with the cork. That way, the cork will swell, and create just enough of a seal to keep most oxidation from occurring.

Thanks,

David

I don't consider myself much of a wine snob, but I would certainly sniff the cork of a wine served at a restaurant. It's my first clue as to possible contamination of the bottle...brett, mercaptans, acetic acid and most easily detectable when concentrated, TCA (cork-taint).

-JC