When you open a bottle of wine, should the cork be wet? Is it a sign that the wine has gone bad? It has happened a few times, and we have thrown out the bottle because it didn't taste right.

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Dear Dr. Vinny,
When you open a bottle of wine, should the cork be wet? Is it a sign that the wine has gone bad? It has happened a few times, and we have thrown out the bottle because it didn't taste right.
—B. Foley, Aberdeen, N.J.
Dear B.,
Wine is wet. Wine touches cork. Cork gets wet. It's a good thing. In fact, if the cork isn't wet, that means the wine has been stored upright—a possible danger sign about its condition.
—Dr. Vinny