Screwcap wine seals - a matter of good taste

      

Why are an increasing number of respected, quality-driven wine producers choosing to challenge tradition and present their wines to you under a screwcap wine seal?
Because, quite simply, we care about our wines. We are committed to bringing our wines to you in the best possible condition. And we know that the only way to do this confidently is to seal each bottle with a screwcap wine seal.

What do Screwcap wine seals do that other closures don't?
Screwcap wine seals eliminate the threat of 'cork taint' and premature oxidation. They allow the wine in each bottle to mature and develop its true character, uniformly and naturally, as intended by the winemaker.

Don't screwcap wine seals bring risks of their own?
In short, no. The inert, food-grade polymer at the base of the seal is guaranteed to have no effect on the taste or quality of the wine - ever. This is why many highly respected wineries around the world store their own precious 'library stock' wines under screwcap wine seals - to ensure that the wines are not at risk of oxidation or taint. Screwcap closures have been protecting premium beverages for over 30 years, but anxiety about 'marketing issues' has, until now, resulted in very few premium quality wines appearing under screwcap.

We are tired of waiting for the promised "better cork"- its time to make the change.

But aren't screwcaps suited to early drinking wines only?
On the contrary: early drinking wines bottled under screwcap certainly have the advantage of retained freshness and no risk of cork taint spoilage. However, premium wines destined for long term maturation enjoy the added advantage of reduced bottle variation, which might otherwise result from premature oxidation over the years due to the natural variability of (sometimes faulty) cork seals.

But will screwcap seals allow wine to age?
Yes - the ageing of wine in a bottle is a function of the natural chemical characters in the wine and will occur over time - irrespective of the bottle closure. As noted Australian winemaker and author James Halliday says, "Some people have the idea that the development of wine with a Stelvin (screwcap) closure will be artificially arrested. Not so; there is sufficient oxygen in the wine and in the head space to allow that part of development which requires oxygen to take place. And - what is more - much of the development takes place anaerobically (i.e.: without oxygen)."

The advantages of using the screwcap as a wine seal are: 
* Total confidence that you will receive wine in premium condition - alive, abounding with flavours and a pleasure to drink.
* No bottle variation - each bottle of a given wine will be just as good as the one before. 
* Elimination of cork taint and similar mould flavours that can contaminate wines bottled with other closures. 
* Dependable cellaring - the elimination of random, premature wine oxidation (seen as rapid ageing, discoloration, loss of fruit flavours and, ultimately, the destruction of the wine), which can occur when other closure types are used.
*And as a bonus, the package is so user friendly. For instance, you can confidently cellar your wines with the bottles standing up. To open a bottle you simply twist the whole capsule to break the seal, and then unscrew the top (no corkscrews to manipulate, no crumbly corks to extract), and if you don't finish your wine that night, you can happily reseal the bottle for the next day.

Are screwcap wine seals here to stay?
Consider the following question, posed by New Zealand's Bob Campbell, Master of Wine: "I have one question for all of the other winemakers who for the time being continue to use corks. If you know that screwcaps will produce better and more consistent wine than corks, how can you continue to short-change your customers?"

WHY CHOOSE SCREW CAPS? By Tyson Stelzer

1. Screw caps remove the risk of cork taint

2. Screw caps remove the threat of sporadic oxidation

3. Screw caps avoid flavour modification

4. Screw caps eliminate flavour scalping

5. Screw caps allow the proper ageing of white wines

6. Screw caps allow the proper ageing of red wines

7. Screw caps eliminate the ingress of oxygen which deteriorates the wine

8. Screw caps maintain a reliable seal long-term

9. Screw caps facilitate vertical storage

10. Screw caps provide greater resistance to temperature change

11. Screw caps are not affected by humidity

12. Screw caps are resistant to odours in the cellar

13. Screw caps are not vulnerable to insects in the cellar

14. Old bottles do not need to be recapped

15. Wines can be cellared for longer periods

16. Screw caps are easy to open

17. Screw caps are easily resealed

18. Screw caps are cost-effective

19. Screw caps can be recycled

20. Screw caps are romantic, because they maintain the quality of the wine and of the moment
With thanks to the New Zealand Screwcap Wine Seal Initiative

Last updated: 09-02-2007