268: Identifying Wine Faults and Flaws with Author Keith Grainger

Unreserved Wine Talk

How can you tell when a wine is mildly corked versus you just don’t like it? Which main types of wine faults and how can you identify them? Why are inexpensive wines actually less prone to faults?

In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with Keith Grainger, author of Wine Faults and Flaws: A Practical Guide, which won the coveted 2022 Prix de l’OIV.

You can find the wines we discussed at https://www.nataliemaclean.com/winepicks

Giveaway

One of you is going to win a personally signed copy of Keith Grainger's terrific book, Wine Faults and Flaws: A Practical Guide.

To qualify, all you have to do is email me at [e-mail] and let me know that you've posted a review of the podcast. I'll choose one person randomly from those who contact me. Good luck!

Highlights

What is Keith’s latest book, Wine Faults and Flaws: A Practical Guide, about?

What was Keith’s motivation to explore wine faults in such depth and ultimately to write his book?

What’s the difference between a fault and a taint?

Why does Keith describe it as a “soft boundary” between good and faulty wines?

How can technically faulty wines still be considered excellent?

Which weird wine fault might surprise you to learn about?

How can you differentiate between the three main types of wine faults?

Why are inexpensive wines less prone to faults?

How have changes in the cork industry significantly reduced the incidence of cork taint?

What causes cork taint?

How do wine faults cost the industry up to 10 billion euros?

What might surprise you about the minuscule amount of cork taint that can ruin a wine?

How can you tell when a wine is mildly corked?

Key Takeaways

Keith was very helpful in his discussion of one of the main flaws of wine - when it’s corked - especially when it’s only mildly so. As he mentioned, if it affects a wine at a very low level, you don't get the mustiness and mushrooms or dry rot.

Keith had a terrific way of not only describing the main faults of wine but also how you identify them. He summarized them as falling under three categories: microbiological, chemical and physical faults.

I was surprised to learn that inexpensive wines are actually less prone to faults, but Keith’s explanation makes sense as to why that’s so. They’re produced in a more factory-type manner as opposed to artisan wines and natural wines.

Join me on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube Live

Join the live-stream video of this conversation on Wed at 7 pm ET on Instagram Live Video, Facebook Live Video or YouTube Live Video.

I want to hear from you! What’s your opinion of what we’re discussing? What takeaways or tips do you love most from this chat? What questions do you have that we didn’t answer?

Want to know when we go live? Add this to your calendar: https://www.addevent.com/calendar/CB262621

About Keith Grainger

Keith Grainger is an award-winning wine writer, educator and consultant to the wine industry. He is the author of ‘Wine Faults and Flaws: A Practical Guide’, which won the coveted 2022 Prix de l’OIV.

To learn more, visit https://www.nataliemaclean.com/268.