A fault is a flaw that spoils a wine, arising from bad grapes, winemaking errors or poor storage. The most common are cork taint (TCA, a wet-cardboard smell), oxidation, volatile acidity (vinegar), reduction (sulfur/rotten egg), Brettanomyces (barnyard) and heat damage. Some are debated as complexity in trace amounts, but in clear excess all are objective faults that diminish or ruin the wine.
WHY IT MATTERS FOR COLLECTORS
Spotting faults saves money and disappointment. A corked or maderised bottle is a defect you can return or reject; learning the tell-tale smells is among the most practical tasting skills a collector can build.
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