For as long as there has been a company known as Vinesse, we have been championing the use of wine bottle closures other than corks.
We don’t hate corks. Far from it. We appreciate the history and tradition associated with them, and we understand that a vast majority of wines sealed with corks end up smelling and tasting just as the vintner envisioned.
That said, if there’s a better way to protect that wine in the bottle, we’ve always been open to giving it a try.
Now, after a 10-year study, screw caps have been shown not only to be superior, but far superior to corks in protecting wines from taint and premature aging.
The study was undertaken by the Australian Wine Research Institute and reported on in a recent issue of Wine Spectator magazine.
Interestingly, and significantly, the study wasn’t undertaken to prove anything about screw caps, one way or another. Rather, it was to determine how well wine would age under various closures.
A 1999 Semillon was selected for the test, and after 10 years, the wine aged in bottles sealed with a screw cap were “wonderful to drink,” according to the Wine Spectator story.
As for most of the wines sealed with any other closure, they were “completely undrinkable.”
The study underscores another long-held tenet of the Vinesse staff – that long-term aging of wine is a calculated risk at best.
A vast majority of wines being made today are drinkable and enjoyable upon release. Some may benefit from another year or two in the bottle, but beyond that, the possibility of encountering a tainted wine heightens with each passing year.
While the screw cap may not be as “romantic” as the cork, there now is proof that it’s more reliable over the long haul.
