When
it comes to wine closures, I have always been a bit of a wine snob. Somehow, I just
cannot share the enthusiasm of those who buy bulk wines shrouded by plastic in
cardboard boxes, resort to screw tops, or heaven forbid, wine in cans!
Traditionally it has been what are considered ‘New World’ wines, those from the
USA, South America, South Africa, and the Antipodes that have resorted to packaging
their wines in such a way.
For
me, there is nothing like the feel of drawing the cork from the bottle, the
satisfying ‘plop’ it gives, and as the aroma is released the anticipation of
what is to follow on the tongue. Besides, surely it is far better for my wine,
a natural product, to be in contact with an organic cork?
Sadly,
this is no longer quite the case. I am slowly but surely being won over, if for
no other reason than that it means I do not run the risk of having my corkscrew
confiscated, as a potentially lethal weapon, when passing through customs.
It
is easy, in the name of wine snobbery, to fall into the trap of thinking that
screw top wines are inferior. Times have changed. Today, more and more winemakers
are converting to this manner of sealing their bottles, and there is good
reason for this.
We
have only ourselves, and my generation of baby boomers, to blame. The push for
an alternative method to seal bottles was largely driven by the fact that by
the 1980’s demand for cork outpaced supply. In the heady days of the 1970’s and
early 1980’s the fashion world went wild for cork sandals (yes, I did own a
pair). As designers, willing to pay a premium price, snapped up all available
resources there was precious little left for the wine industry.
Cork
is a limited natural resource. There are only a few countries that grow cork
trees, which need to be well into their twenties before the bark can be
harvested. In addition to this, cork can only be harvested once every 9 years,
with just 60% being of a quality that can be used to make wine corks; the residue
is used to make other cork products. This scarcity has seen prices rocket,
putting it well beyond the reach of those trying to produce modestly priced
wines in an increasingly competitive market. One solution, that had disastrous
results, was to use cork that was of a lower quality. Result, corked wines that
were undrinkable and reputations ruined.
Reluctantly
the industry was forced to look at alternatives, including composite corks, rubber
corks, and screw tops. The most impressive development for me was the glass
stopper, which I first came across on a wine visit to Germany; expensive to
produce but re-usable and doing away with the need for a corkscrew. Collector’s
tip – corkscrews have always been a popular collectable, but as we move more towards
these modern closures, the traditional corkscrew will become a thing of the
past and old versions will gain in value, so hang onto them.
The
use of cork to seal wine containers is a practice that has been in use for
several thousand years. It was only when, in the 18th century, as glass bottles
were introduced, that cork became the favoured method of sealing a wine bottle.
Fine winemakers will stand by their assertion of the beneficial part that cork plays
in ageing their wines. However, the negatives are increasingly outweighing the
advantages.
Gradually
the screw top has become the primary replacement for the standard cork, despite
its drawbacks; screw tops are recyclable but not biodegradable, largely
composed of non-renewable resources, and lack the satisfying ‘pop’ associated
with a cork.
As
consumers we continue to perpetuate the myth that screw tops are associated
with inferior wine. Some winemakers also cling to the popular belief that the
wine will not age properly, as screw tops do not allow the wine to ‘breathe’ in
the way that traditional corks do.
An
increasing number of respected winemakers are now choosing to challenge
tradition. With a continued commitment and focus on quality, along with the inconsistent
nature of cork, due to its variable quality, a screw top provides a measure of
predictability at a time when the challenging economic environment of the wine
industry has forced a new approach.
Certainly,
when it comes to New World wines the vast majority are now using screw tops as
the preferred alternative to corks.
When
magazines like Decanter feel confident in recommending screw top wines, as they
did in their April edition, then we know it is time to take notice.
https://www.decanter.com/decanter-best/screwcap-wine-10-top-choices-371124/
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