Your Wine Tastes of Cork and the Corks are Disintegrating

A wine cabinet is for keeping your best wines in conditions similar to those of a natural cellar. However, what a disappointment when you open a good vintage and find that it has an unpleasant "cork taste"! The cork, which is usually still made of cork, is used to seal the bottle and prevent oxygen from coming into contact with the wine. When your wine cabinet's storage conditions are no longer optimal, the cork may trap odours and introduce them into the wine or the cork may start disintegrating. Find out why below and how to fix it.

THE CAUSES FOR THIS ISSUE:

• The cabinet's humidity control system isn't working properly

• My cabinet's charcoal filter is worn out

• The air isn't circulating properly

WARNING
Before you do anything to your appliance, make sure you disconnect it from the power supply.
There is a risk of electric shock.
Use suitable gloves if you are taking it apart.
There is a risk of getting cut.

Is the wine Cabinet's Humidity Control System Working Properly?

To remain airtight, the cork must remain wet and stay in contact with the wine. This is why bottles should be stored horizontally. It is the humidity (and the quality of the cork) that gives the cork enough elasticity to prevent outside air from entering the bottle:

• If a wine cabinet's humidity level is too low, the cork will dry, shrink and let air pass through that will trap the odour released by the cork and mix it with the wine; this is how you get unpleasant corked wine!
• If a wine cabinet's humidity level is too high, mould and bacteria may grow on the cork and labels may deteriorate. But generally speaking, this won't do anything to alter the quality of the wine.
  Have you noticed a cork taste when drinking your wine? Are your corks disintegrating? A malfunction with the humidity control system may explain this phenomenon. In fact, unsuitable humidity levels can lead to a deterioration in your wine's flavour in the long term. In some wine cabinet models, a thermometer/hygrometer is used for constant humidity control and precise adjustments. First, check that your device has definitely been equipped with this type of device to maintain a humidity level between 70% and 90%.

Should I replace My Cabinet's Carbon Filter?

Often imperceptible, the odours in our daily environment (detergents, perfumes, etc.) can contribute to a change in your wine. The role of the active carbon filter is to prevent these unpleasant odours from getting into your cabinet. Over time, these infiltrate through the cork and alter the flavour properties of the wine. Often located in a special hole at the top of the device, the active carbon filter consists of a tube filled with active carbon and which is sealed at either end by a mesh that lets the air through. The porous structure of active carbon purifies the air entering the cabinet by absorbing any harmful molecules and trapping them. This is the reason why it needs changing regularly. We advise you to replace it every 12 to 18 months depending on your cabinet's humidity. Most recent wine cabinets are equipped with a counter that triggers a visual alarm every 365 days and which must be reset each time the filter is changed.

Buy a carbon filter for my wine cabinet

The air isn't circulating properly

Constant ventilation of your wine cabinet is one of the prerequisites for ensuring optimal storage and aging of your wine. Wine cabinet ventilation systems are designed to reproduce the natural air circulation in a traditional wine cellar. Sometimes referred to as the "airway effect", the air is thus being slowly and continuously replaced, flowing from top to bottom and from the outside to the inside. If your ventilation system is faulty, the air in your appliance will stagnate, leading to odours and mould. There is a risk that these unpleasant odours will get through the bottles' corks and alter the wine's flavour properties.