Drinking bad or spoiled wine can cause mild to moderate immediate effects such as nausea, stomach cramps, diarrhea, and sometimes vomiting or fever, due to the presence of unwanted bacteria and an imbalance of acids irritating the digestive system
. Spoiled wine often tastes sour, vinegary, or chemical-like and may have off- putting smells like wet cardboard, vinegar, or barnyard, which signal spoilage
. While occasional consumption of spoiled wine is unlikely to cause serious health issues, frequent intake could disrupt gut flora and lead to chronic digestive discomfort
. In rare cases, if the wine is contaminated with harmful microbes due to improper storage, it could cause food poisoning with symptoms such as stomach cramps, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, fever, and dehydration
. Most spoiled wines are the result of oxidation or microbial activity, which degrade the wine’s flavor and safety. Although alcohol has some antimicrobial properties, it does not guarantee safety if the wine is heavily contaminated
. Therefore, it is best to avoid drinking wine that smells or tastes off, shows bubbles in still wine, or has a loose or leaking cork, as these are signs of spoilage
. In summary, drinking bad wine is generally unpleasant and can cause mild gastrointestinal symptoms, but serious illness is rare unless the wine is heavily contaminated. When in doubt, it is safer to discard spoiled wine to avoid potential food poisoning
