Comments on: Popular Choices

By: Victim of cork taint | ELLOINOS

Victim of cork taint | ELLOINOS — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 16:07:18 +0000

[...] posted on the issue of closures 3 weeks ago; this unfortunate event shows just how important the issue is. I encourage growers to [...]

By: Viviane Bauquet Farre / Food & Style

Viviane Bauquet Farre / Food & Style — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 23:59:41 +0000

I am a consumer, a wine lover and I adore screwcaps! I wish all wines had screwcaps and I’m sure not too long in the future they all will. Yes, there’s a charm about uncorking a bottle, but I’ve opened too many bottles of great wines that have been ruined by TCA.

Markus, thank you for writing such a wonderful post. It’s not a small matter I understand, but as a consumer, I would say to all winemakers that screwcaps do not deter me from buying wines, quite the contrary. And I would like to add that for many consumers, storing wines is an issue. Screwcaps ensure that wines might survive the less than desirable storing facilities that most people have.

I wholeheartedly vote for screwcaps. Since so many established and knowledgeable winemakers (like Randall Grahm) have embraced them and tell us the wines benefit from them, what is there to fear?

By: Thomas Pellechia

Thomas Pellechia — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 13:54:59 +0000

Just remember that wine once came in sacks, amphora, and who knows what and the early bottles were capped with rags and/or wax before cork. It takes time for changes to be completed–but change comes.

It is amazing that in a technological world and a technological industry, there remain wine producers resistant to technological advancement as easy as the screwcap.

By: elloinos

elloinos — Sun, 28 Feb 2010 10:55:09 +0000

Kosta, thank you – I am delighted that this debate already yields the first results, which can only be good for the consumer. I hope that other Greek winemakers will follow suit, I like their open-mindedness, which speaks for itself.

By: elloinos

elloinos — Sun, 28 Feb 2010 10:46:08 +0000

Petro, great news indeed – I like the swift action from you. I know you have been toying with the idea, but to decide quickly to start using screwcaps for part of the current vintage is a bold move – well done.

By: Kostas Katsoulieris

Kostas Katsoulieris — Sun, 28 Feb 2010 09:16:25 +0000

I think the results speak for themselves. There are few consumer industries that would accept the rate of spoilage (that corks give) as an acceptable loss. As Randall said integrity of product (and therefore a good track record) is what should be important. What consumer would not feel agrieved if they had shelled out good hard earned money for a bottle of wine (especially for a premium wine) and/or waited patiently as the wine aged only to find upon opnening that it had spolied? Admittedly there is a certain fun (bordering on ritualiistic) aspect to popping a cork but once again it’s about changing people’s perceptions. Also in these environmentally conscious times are screwcaps not better as they are recyclable (I would think)? Keep up the great work Markus – you certainly pick great topics to initiate debate! Kalh evdomada kai kalo mhna aurio!

By: Petros Markantonatos

Petros Markantonatos — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 19:13:33 +0000

Fantastic input from Randall.
Don’t take me wrong – I’m eager to use Screwcaps!
Screwcap IT’S the way forward!!!!
I will work with Mike to bottle some Gentilini Robola 2009 under the Screw to see how it goes.

By: elloinos

elloinos — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 15:33:16 +0000

Randall, thank you very much indeed for sharing your experience with us. Your insight is invaluable – and your advice will hopefully be heeded. I wish to engage the Greek winemakers in a discussion concerning the closures. As you point out quite correctly, the focus should be on the quality of the product.

Personally, I do not like that synthetic closures are currently so popular in Greece. I am hopeful that things will change, and your voice certainly is crucial, as you are well respected here. Greek wine producers engage quite actively with the consumer, and do have the chance to educate them. In addition, the Greek wine consumer really starts to show a much more serious interest for wines as just a short few years ago. He/she is eager to learn, and from my experience is quite open-minded.

By: Mike Jones

Mike Jones — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 15:21:30 +0000

Nice one Randall. Love your work………….

By: Randall Grahm

Randall Grahm — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 14:44:43 +0000

I have been working with screwcaps for the last ten years and find that I love them in ways that I never anticipated when I began the practice. It is a misconception that screwcaps are only appropriate for wines that are to be consumed young. In fact, it might be argued that they are particularly appropriate for vins de garde, as they slow down the maturation process, and this ultimately redounds to a much longer wine-life. Further, one is not obliged to use as much sulfur dioxide in the wine with screwcpas, as compared to corks, to achieve a comparable level of protection against oxidation; this is a very beautiful thing.

I don’t honestly know if synthetic closures have improved significantly since I used them at the end of the last century, but my experience with them was particularly disappointing; they led to a greatly shortened shelf life of some of my wines. (Others attempted to warn me off, but stubborn person that I am, I refused to listen at the time.) It is a real shame that many wine producers are still fearful of “what would my consumers think?,” and engage in practices that compromise the quality of their wines. Their first allegiance should be to the integrity of their product, not to perceived commercial expedience. Wine producers, sommeliers, wine sellers and wine writers ought acknowledge their role as educators and not simply providers of a service. By not following best practices to insure the integrity of their product, they are doing a disservice to their customers.