Why Do People Smell The Cork From A Wine Bottle?

The only thing between wine and the rest of the world - at least for a short(ish) while in most cases - is the cork.

Well, it used to be.  But now with the advent not only of plastic "corks" but also screw tops, it looks like our cork-sniffing days are coming to an end.

So, while it's still part of the wine-opening ritual, let's sniff at our corks while we still can.

But why?  What we're looking for here is the smell of the wine by itself - or no smell at all.

If, however, you can smell anything else, such as anything that reminds you of mushrooms, or cardboard or anything that else that smells a bit "off", your wine isn't in tip-top condition and you've got a perfect right to send it back if you're at a restaurant ... or use it to cook with later on if you've opened it at home.