Presentation of Cork

Did you know that the historical reason the waiter or sommelier in a restaurant gives you the cork when the bottle is opened is to prevent fraud? The presentation of the cork originated to curtail fraudulent dealers from passing off a wine for something it wasn’t. Usually, the cork was stamped with the producer’s name. When it was extracted from the bottle, it was presented to the purchaser to prove it actually was the wine stated on the label that was requested. Today, the presentation of the cork continues that tradition, but goes further. If the cork looks mouldy or defective or smells bad, then the wine might be problematic. If so, address the issue with the sommelier, wait staff or owner.