05 Jun Which Wines Should You Opt For – Cork Or Screwcap?
Ever since screw caps for wine bottles have been introduced they have been quite controversial. Traditionally, cork has been used to seal wine bottles, but many new vintners prefer to use the screw cap method to secure the wine bottle openings. Anyone that has tried to use a corkscrew to open up a bottle of champagne or wine bottle would know there are times when the accessory will shred the cork into multiple dusty chunks many of which will fall into the liquid as well.
Are Corks Special?
In simple words, sometimes corks cause far more problems than they can solve. However, many wine aficionados feel strongly about the use of this unique tree bark. It lends character to the wine bottle and is historic too, helping the wine mellow as it should. Corks are part of the tradition and ceremony involved in opening a bottle. So then what is it that makes them not-so-perfect and why is it that many labels choose screw caps over one’s made of cork?
Well, since they are made from a natural product, there is a wide variation in their efficacy. Approximately three percent of all corks used for corking wine become affected by a type of fungus called cork taint that results in spoilage of the wine. This spoilage is detectable only after the wine has been bottled and ages.
Corks help to regulate oxygen flow into the bottle, and they also help in the proper aging of many wines – they help round out the flavours, add to their robustness while softening the tannins. Sometimes, it isn’t easy to gauge the breathability that the cork has. It means that even if you have two corked bottles of the same wine and vintage, they might age differently from the other.
Is Wine With Screw Caps “Cheap?
In comparison, screw caps are far more efficient, precise and predictable than corks. However, they too faced some challenges. Although many prominent wine producers prefer to use screw caps, many consumers continue to associate them with cheap wine. But today, the distinction isn’t that simple any longer.
Most old world wineries honour their values and traditions and believe that wine is an extension of their land. The finished wine is expected to have complexity, texture and depth. All these properties are closely associated with wines with corks.
New world wineries, on the other hand (like the ones in New Zealand, Australia, South Africa and the Americas) often focus on expressing the varietal component of the wines they produce and they want their products to be an expression of the varietal characteristics of the fruit. Screw top wines embody these properties.
A wine with a screw top may face an image problem and be looked upon as a “cheap” wine. But when it comes to modern- new world wines, the cap is rarely an indicator of quality. Contrary to this popular belief, plastic or metal toppers often indicate that a particular winery was incredibly careful about how they crafted their wines that they did not want to introduce the variability quotient by using cork.
New Zealand and Australian winemakers are mostly credited with introducing crew caps to the high-end wine world. Many of these wineries have transitioned to screw caps years ago, and most have a reputation for producing fine wines that age. These wines age beautifully and consistently, and no other wine bottle cap material offers that.
In Closing
Today, the seal type used for wines is no longer their quality marker. If you enjoy drinking fine wines produced by new world wineries, you might find that some of the wines you like the best come in screw-capped bottles. No matter whether the bottle has a cork or screw caps, at the end of the day, what matters is the beverage inside the bottle.
Also, regardless of the wines you buy, you would still need to make sure they are stored in the right conditions and environment, and the best way to age wines is in a custom cellar. We at Signature Cellars are a leading company in this industry and offer high-quality custom wine cellar design and installations services. Our designers will plan the racks correctly so that you have the right storage space for all your precious wines.
To find out about how Signature Cellars can help you design and construct a wine cellar that can provide the perfect environment for your wines, while adding value to your home, call us on 1300 570 636 or email info@signaturecellars.com.au. Our experts will respond soon, to discuss your customised wine cellar project requirements.
Thanks for reading,
Neil Smallman
Signature Cellars
1300 570 636
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