Alternative wine closure

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Synthetic wine closure Vinova synthetic wine closure.jpg
Synthetic wine closure
Synthetic wine closures Synthetic corks 2.jpg
Synthetic wine closures

Alternative wine closures are substitute closures used in the wine industry for sealing wine bottles in place of traditional cork closures. The emergence of these alternatives has grown in response to quality control efforts by winemakers to protect against "cork taint" caused by the presence of the chemical trichloroanisole (TCA). [1] [2]

Contents

The closures debate, chiefly between supporters of screw caps and natural corks, has increased the awareness of post-bottling wine chemistry, and the concept of winemaking has grown to continue after the bottling process, because closures with different oxygen transmission rates may lead to wines that taste different when they reach consumers. [3]

The cork-industry group APCOR cites a study showing a 0.7–1.2% taint rate. In a 2005 study of 2800 bottles tasted at the Wine Spectator blind-tasting facilities in Napa, California, 7% of the bottles were found to be tainted. [4]

Synthetic corks

A synthetic cork is designed to look and function like natural cork Synthetic Cork in bottle.jpg
A synthetic cork is designed to look and function like natural cork

Synthetic corks are made from plastic compounds designed to look and "pop" like natural cork, but without the risk of TCA contamination. Disadvantages of synthetic corks include a risk of harmful air entering a bottle after as little as 18 months, difficulty in extracting them from the bottle, and difficulty in using the cork to reseal the wine. [5] James Laube of Wine Spectator notes that some can also impart a slight chemical flavour to the wine. [4]

Unlike natural corks, many synthetic corks are made from material that is not biodegradable. There are two main production techniques for synthetic wine closures: injection molding and extrusion. There are also methods claimed to combine the two techniques of injection and extrusion. A 2007 study by Victor Segalen Bordeaux 2 University showed that injection-molded synthetic corks allowed the highest levels of oxygen permeation when compared to natural cork and screw caps, offering the lowest protection against oxidation of the wine. [6]

Synthetic wine bottle closures may allow for a controlled oxygen transfer rate, which affects the sensory characteristics. [7]

Screw caps

Stelvin cap, disassembled Dissasembled Stelvin screwcap from wine bottle.jpg
Stelvin cap, disassembled

Screw caps or "Stelvin caps" are closures made only from aluminium material that threads onto the bottleneck. They are the predominant closure used by Austrian, Australian and New Zealand wineries. [8] [9] This can be attributed in part to the New Zealand screw cap initiative which promotes the use of screw caps instead of cork. Screw caps form a tighter seal and can keep out oxygen for a longer time than cork. These benefits aid in maintaining the wine's overall quality and aging potential. Michel Laroche of Domaine Laroche noted that this played a role in his decision to adopt screwcaps. [6] "Extensive quality tests show convincing results: apart from protecting against cork taint, screwcaps are also beneficial in the aging of wine, particularly preserving the aromatic freshness." [10]

An often cited contradiction is the case of experiments carried out by Château Haut-Brion in the 1970s, when 100 bottles were placed under screwcap for long term observation. The result was, according to Haut-Brion manager Jean-Bernard Delmas, that "it worked perfectly for the first ten years, until the plastic in the caps went brittle and let air in". [9]

A disadvantage of screw caps according to wine expert Jancis Robinson is the opposite of oxidation: reduction, which may suppress a wine's aroma and possibly cause unpleasant ones, a problem that particularly affects Sauvignon blanc which is a grape variety with natural tendencies toward reduction. [11] Furthermore, there is the screwcap's public image, as "consumers still perceive screwcaps as being for 'cheap' wines (regardless of the price tag)". [12]

In a 2004 study of consumer opinions conducted by the wine consulting firm Wine Intelligence found that nearly 52% of American consumers and 60% of British consumers reject the idea of using screwcaps for their fine wine. [13] The 2007 Victor Segalen University study in Bordeaux showed that screw caps closures allowed the lowest amount of oxygen permeation when compared to natural and synthetic corks, offering the highest level of protection against oxidation of the wine. [6]

Following studies by the faults clinic at the International Wine Challenge in September 2006, [14] it became widely reported in British newspapers that test results show that one in 50 screwcap bottles, 200,000 bottles worldwide, may be affected by the chemical process sulphidisation. [15] Jamie Goode presented arguments against reports he described to "represent the science of closures badly, are filled with inaccuracies and misunderstandings, and do not serve the wine industry well", and addressed the inaccuracies in specific points. [16]

Vino-Seal and Vinolok

Glass Stopper compared with corkstopper Glasstopfen BMK.jpg
Glass Stopper compared with corkstopper

Vino-Seal, also sold as Vinolok, [17] is a plastic/glass closure originally developed by Alcoa and now produced by Czech crystal glass producer Preciosa. [18] Since its introduction into the European market in 2003, over 300 wineries have utilized the closure. Using a glass stopper with an inert o-ring, the closure is claimed to create a hermetic seal that prevents oxidation and TCA contamination. A disadvantage of the closure is the relatively high cost of each plug (70 cents each) and cost either of manual bottling, or else obtaining compatible bottling equipment.

Zork

A bottle of wine sealed with a Zork. Zork wine closure.jpg
A bottle of wine sealed with a Zork.

Zork is an alternative wine closure for still wines, that seals like a screw cap and pops like a cork, created by an Australian company of the same name. [11] [12] The closure has three parts: an outer cap providing a tamper-evident clamp that locks onto the band of a standard cork mouth bottle; an inner metal foil which provides an oxygen barrier similar to a screw cap, and an inner plunger which creates the ‘pop’ on extraction and reseals after use. Introduced in 2010, it is the first on-bottle, resealable closure for sparkling wines.[ citation needed ]

Opposition

There is continuing opposition to the use of alternative closures in some parts of the winemaking industry. In March 2006, the Spanish government outlawed the use of alternative wine closures in 11 of Spain's wine-producing regions as part of their ( Denominación de Origen ) D.O. regulations. [19]

Although environmentalists lament the loss of cork forests to commercial crops such as eucalyptus, advocates of artificial corks claim that "natural corks" are just "granules and dust bonded with solvents", and no more biodegradable than the artificial product. [20] [21] "Granules and dust bonded with solvents" describes "agglomerate corks." These differ from "natural corks" that are one piece made out of cork bark.[ citation needed ]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cork (material)</span> Tree bark tissue harvested for commercial use

Cork is an impermeable buoyant material, the phellem layer of bark tissue that is harvested for commercial use primarily from Quercus suber, which is native to southwest Europe and northwest Africa. Cork is composed of suberin, a hydrophobic substance. Because of its impermeable, buoyant, elastic, and fire retardant properties, it is used in a variety of products, the most common of which is wine stoppers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cork taint</span> Wine fault often attributed to the presence of trichloroanisole (TCA) from the cork

Cork taint is a broad term referring to an off-odor and off-flavor wine fault arising from the presence of 2,4,6-trichloroanisole (TCA), a chemical compound that represents one of the strongest off-flavors, and one "generated naturally in foods/beverages", in particular wines, that considerably reduce the quality of these products.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bottle variation</span>

Bottle variation is the degree to which different bottles, nominally of the same product, can have different taste, smell, etc.

A screw cap or closure is a common type of closure for bottles, jars, and tubes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Red wine</span> Wine made from dark-colored grape varieties

Red wine is a type of wine made from dark-colored grape varieties. The color of the wine can range from intense violet, typical of young wines, through to brick red for mature wines and brown for older red wines. The juice from most purple grapes is greenish-white, the red color coming from anthocyan pigments present in the skin of the grape. Much of the red wine production process involves extraction of color and flavor components from the grape skin.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bottling line</span> Production line for filling bottles

Bottling lines are production lines that fill a product, generally a beverage, into bottles on a large scale. Many prepared foods are also bottled, such as sauces, syrups, marinades, oils and vinegars.

A wine fault is a sensory-associated (organoleptic) characteristic of a wine that is unpleasant, and may include elements of taste, smell, or appearance, elements that may arise from a "chemical or a microbial origin", where particular sensory experiences might arise from more than one wine fault. Wine faults may result from poor winemaking practices or storage conditions that lead to wine spoilage.

Oxygen transmission rate (OTR) is the measurement of the amount of oxygen gas that passes through a substance over a given period. It is mostly carried out on non-porous materials, where the mode of transport is diffusion, but there are a growing number of applications where the transmission rate also depends on flow through apertures of some description.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wine cork</span> Stopper used to seal wine bottles

Wine corks are a stopper used to seal wine bottles. They are typically made from cork, though synthetic materials can be used. Common alternative wine closures include screw caps and glass stoppers. 68 percent of all cork is produced for wine bottle stoppers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Closure (wine bottle)</span> Term for stoppers used to seal wine bottles

Closure is a term used in the wine industry to refer to a stopper, the object used to seal a bottle and avoid harmful contact between the wine and oxygen.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fermentation in winemaking</span> Wine making process

The process of fermentation in winemaking turns grape juice into an alcoholic beverage. During fermentation, yeasts transform sugars present in the juice into ethanol and carbon dioxide. In winemaking, the temperature and speed of fermentation are important considerations as well as the levels of oxygen present in the must at the start of the fermentation. The risk of stuck fermentation and the development of several wine faults can also occur during this stage, which can last anywhere from 5 to 14 days for primary fermentation and potentially another 5 to 10 days for a secondary fermentation. Fermentation may be done in stainless steel tanks, which is common with many white wines like Riesling, in an open wooden vat, inside a wine barrel and inside the wine bottle itself as in the production of many sparkling wines.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">PlumpJack Winery</span> Winery in Oakville, California, US

PlumpJack Winery is a boutique winery in Oakville, California specializing in premium Cabernet Sauvignon wines. PlumpJack was the first winery in Napa Valley to use screwcaps as a wine closure on fine wines. The winery is one of several businesses operated by the PlumpJack Group. The name of the company is inspired by "the roguish spirit of Shakespeare's Sir John Falstaff, dubbed Plump Jack by Queen Elizabeth."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Screaming Eagle Winery and Vineyards</span> Californian vineyard

Screaming Eagle Winery and Vineyards is a California wine estate producing limited amounts of varietal wine; due to the small quantities produced and high prices commanded, their wines are considered cult wines. The winery is located in Oakville, California, north of the town of Napa in the Napa Valley.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aging of wine</span> Overview of the aging of wine

The aging of wine is potentially able to improve the quality of wine. This distinguishes wine from most other consumable goods. While wine is perishable and capable of deteriorating, complex chemical reactions involving a wine's sugars, acids and phenolic compounds can alter the aroma, color, mouthfeel and taste of the wine in a way that may be more pleasing to the taster. The ability of a wine to age is influenced by many factors including grape variety, vintage, viticultural practices, wine region and winemaking style. The condition that the wine is kept in after bottling can also influence how well a wine ages and may require significant time and financial investment. The quality of an aged wine varies significantly bottle-by-bottle, depending on the conditions under which it was stored, and the condition of the bottle and cork, and thus it is said that rather than good old vintages, there are good old bottles. There is a significant mystique around the aging of wine, as its chemistry was not understood for a long time, and old wines are often sold for extraordinary prices. However, the vast majority of wine is not aged, and even wine that is aged is rarely aged for long; it is estimated that 90% of wine is meant to be consumed within a year of production, and 99% of wine within 5 years.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Storage of wine</span>

Storage of wine is an important consideration for wine that is being kept for long-term aging. While most wine is consumed within 24 hours of purchase, fine wines are often set aside for long-term storage. Wine is one of the few commodities that can improve in flavour and value with age, but it can also rapidly deteriorate if kept in inadequate conditions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Screw cap (wine)</span> Cap for wine bottles

A screw cap is a metal, normally aluminium, cap that screws onto threads on the neck of a wine bottle, generally with a metal skirt down the neck to resemble the traditional wine capsule ("foil"). A layer of plastic, cork, rubber, or other soft material is used as wad to make a seal with the mouth of the bottle. Its use as an alternative to cork for sealing wine bottles is gaining increasing support. In markets such as Australia and New Zealand screw caps on bottles have overtaken cork to become the most common means of sealing bottles.

Pewsey Vale vineyard was founded in Eden Valley, South Australia during 1847 by Englishman, Joseph Gilbert. It is currently part of S.Smith and son. It was the first vineyard established in what is now the Eden Valley wine region and the first to plant Riesling vines in Australia. Pewsey Vale has become one of Australia’s leading producers of commercial riesling, with its signature wine being the Contours Riesling.

Grosset Wines is an Australian winery based in the Clare Valley wine region of South Australia.

Nomacorc is a producer of engineered synthetic corks for wine bottles. Nomacorc closures use co-extruded technology to manage the oxygen transfer rate (OTR) needed for wine, protecting against off-flavors in wine due to oxidation, reduction of 2,4,6-trichloroanisole (TCA) commonly known as cork taint.

References

  1. ↑ Shriver, Jerry (3 August 2006). "And now for something completely different". USA Today.
  2. ↑ "'Just Say No' – To Cork! Don Sebastiani & Sons Announces Plans to Focus Exclusively on Alternative Wine Closures". Business Wire. 9 August 2005. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015.
  3. ↑ Goode, Jamie, Ph.D. Wines & Vines (August 2008). "Finding Closure". Archived from the original on 10 April 2009.
  4. 1 2 Laube, James (31 March 2006). "Changing With the Times". Wine Spectator. Archived from the original on 14 March 2006.
  5. ↑ Robinson, Jancis (10 June 2006). "Down with synthetic corks!". jancisrobinson.com. Archived from the original on 28 July 2006.
  6. 1 2 3 Kramer, Matt (31 October 2007). "Seeking Closure". Wine Spectator. p. 36. Archived from the original on 19 July 2008.
  7. ↑ Wirth, J.; Caillé, S.; Souquet, J.M.; Samson, A.; Dieval, J.B.; Vidal, S.; Fulcrand, H.; Cheynier, V. (2012). "Impact of post-bottling oxygen exposure on the sensory characteristics and phenolic composition of Grenache rosé wines". Food Chemistry. 132 (4): 1861–1871. doi:10.1016/j.foodchem.2011.12.019.
  8. ↑ Ciampa, Gail (2 August 2006). "Don't get caught without your wine notes". The Providence Journal.
  9. 1 2 Lechmere, Adam, Decanter.com (30 May 2002). "Kiwis spread the screwcap gospel". Archived from the original on 5 June 2008. Retrieved 2 December 2008.
  10. ↑ "The Winery goes out to bat for screwcaps". South African Wine News. 26 July 2006.
  11. 1 2 Robinson, Jancis (11 June 2004). "Will our grandchildren need a corkscrew?". jancisrobinson.com. Archived from the original on 5 September 2008. Retrieved 2 December 2008.
  12. 1 2 Robinson, Jancis (29 June 2006). "Zork talk". jancisrobinson.com. Archived from the original on 5 July 2010. Retrieved 2 December 2008.
  13. ↑ APCOR, realcork.org Wine Intelligence – Closures: The US Consumer View Archived 2008-03-12 at the Wayback Machine
  14. ↑ Alleyne, Richard, The Daily Telegraph (20 September 2006). "Screwcaps blamed for tainting wine".
  15. ↑ Elliott, Valerie, The Times (16 January 2007). "Why screwtops may not be such a corking way to keep red wine fine". London.
  16. ↑ Goode, Jamie (19 January 2007). "In defence of screwcaps". wineanorak.com.
  17. ↑ Robinson, Jancis; Harding, Julia (2015). The Oxford Companion to Wine. Oxford University Press. p. 192. ISBN   978-0198705383.
  18. ↑ Perdue, Andy (Summer 2006). "Glass adds class to Oregon Wine". Wine Press Northwest.
  19. ↑ "'Put a Cork in It' Says New Spanish Law; Spain's Top Wine Producers Outlaw Alternative Closures in 11 Spanish Regions". Business Wire. 27 March 2006.
  20. ↑ "Urging vintners to put a cork in it". BBC News. 18 September 2008.
  21. ↑ "Put a cork in it: the environmental cost of the screw cap". The Guardian. 22 August 2010.
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