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Sparkling wines and Champagnes cannot become corked.

Answer: False.

Popular misconception has it that sparkling wines and Champagnes cannot be corked because carbonation inhibits the formation of trichloroanisole (TCA). However, this is not the case. Sparklers can be tainted with TCA, and they can take on the telltale odor that makes wine smell like a wet dog sitting on moldy newspapers in a damp cellar. In fact, according to the French consulting oenologist and TCA expert, Dr. Pascal Chatonnet, TCA is actually easier to smell in sparkling than in still wines. The bubbles have the effect of volatizing the compound, making it smell more pronounced.

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