Corks or screwcaps?

Against popular belief, screwcaps, even the 'intelligent' ones, are not necessarily suitable for all wines, not even cheap ones. Nor do premium quality corks necessarily improve superior wines

Andrew J. Linn

Malaga

Friday, 20 September 2024, 12:41

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When Australian and New Zealand wineries started using screwcaps for their top-of-the-range wines, the international trade laughed up its sleeve and wondered when these cheeky down-underrers would come to their senses. But decades later screwcaps are still the preferred option.

Initially, and as was to be expected, not every experience was successful. Regardless of the polemic about whether wines breathe through corks, regardless of whether in a vertical or horizontal position, and disregarding the effect of a lead or plastic seal, some very clever people developed a system that allows wine to breathe through screwcaps via a tiny, controlled oxygen exchange using liners inside the cap. These liners are designed to allow minimal air permeability, which mimics the slow oxygenation process that occurs with traditional corks.

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That's the good news. The bad is that, against popular belief, screwcaps, even the 'intelligent' ones, are not necessarily suitable for all wines, not even cheap ones. Nor do premium quality corks necessarily improve superior wines. Indications are that some very expensive wines benefit from screwcaps or cork conglomerate, and the kneejerk reaction which dictates that all top class wines must use expensive corks is not proven. And to make matters more complicated, current investigations are revealing that while one vintage may benefit from a premium cork closure, another year's may show off its qualities best under a screwcap.

One of the most expensive wines with a screwcap is New Zealand's. Villa Maria Ngakirikiri The Pinnacle Cabernet Sauvignon, retailing for around 200 euros. Wines from top-tier producers like Penfolds (Australia) can sell for over 120 euros per bottle.

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