DÜSSELDORF — Chaos erupted on day two of the most recent ProWein trade fair when a longtime Master Sommelier—whose identity is being withheld pending a Court of Master Sommeliers investigation—accused a screwcapped wine of being corked.
The declaration stunned trade buyers and representatives of the Stelvin movement, many of whom began furiously sniffing their glasses in disbelief. The disputed bottle has since been rushed to ETS Laboratories in St. Helena for urgent analysis.
The Master Sommelier has filed a lawsuit against the brand that poured the wine, claiming the flawed sample “ruined my palate and obliterated the delicate aftertaste of Beluga caviar I’d just enjoyed.”
“It’s impossible,” said Dr. Elaine Bouchard, a UC Davis enology professor. “Cork taint is caused by TCA contamination, which only occurs with natural cork closures. If the wine was sealed under screwcap, it’s like accusing a vegan restaurant of serving you bad foie gras.”
Alleged facts and reality aren’t stopping the sommelier who is seeking $1 million in damages. “They said Motley Crüe would never tour again, and look what happened. So, yes, screwcap wine could show cork issues, in theory.”
