by Vivi­enne Bail­lie Ger­rit­sen — It has hap­pened to all of us. You are seated in a good restau­rant and the waiter has just brought you the wine you or­dered. He solemnly shows you the la­bel. You nod, and he pro­ceeds to slit open the lead seal with the tip of his corkscrew. Peal­ing the seal off the bot­tle neck, he then...