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RedsOnly · 11-18-2005, 04:04 AM,

Will most wine makers switch to screw caps or is this a myth? Supposedly, screw caps have a 100% success rate in preserving the wine. Is this true?

brappy · 11-18-2005, 04:16 AM,

I for one am sick of opening corked bottles. I'm all for it. Either that or the cork farmers need to get serious about thier damn business and take care of the fricken cork trees.

I'm sorry, did i show attitude?

mark

Did you ever see the SNL skit where they were cork suckers? Too funny!!!!!!!!!!

Innkeeper · 11-18-2005, 08:29 AM,

Hopefully current experiments will prove that aging under a scrwcap is no problem. That's the only hurdle remaining. I say bring 'em on. There is hope for the cork industry. Cork floors are growing in popularity. We are putting one into our master bath.

wondersofwine · 11-18-2005, 10:36 AM,

Same question came up last night at the Beaujolais Nouveau dinner (report later). A couple in the wine business say they think screw caps will not take over in their lifetime. Too much resistance to the nontraditional take, etc.

Thomas · 11-18-2005, 02:22 PM,

Brappy,

Small correction: the problem is not with cork farming; the bacteria that survives in the porous crevices and then taints cork (and wine) reacts to the cleansers used in sanitizing the corks. Some corks go off, others do not, and from the same lot.

[This message has been edited by foodie (edited 11-18-2005).]

winoweenie · 11-18-2005, 06:14 PM,

I have no resistance to screwcaps. Tho I've had very little experience with corked wines from my cellar (1 bottle in 23 years) I'm of the opinion that the bacteria grows and fosters in less than optimum cellaring conditions. WW

Thomas · 11-18-2005, 08:21 PM,

That maybe so ww, and it may not be so. A few producers--BV and Gallo included--have had infestation of the bacteria in sections of their facilities and had to decontaminate, plus they had to recall wine.

winoweenie · 11-19-2005, 08:31 AM,

I'm fully aware of the problems at the wineries. I'm talking about the 5 to 10% figure bandied about by the "Expertz". If those figures were accurate I coulda' filled 2 more parishes in New Orleans with contaminated liquid with pour-outs. WW

Drew · 11-19-2005, 09:38 AM,

I for one, hate the screw caps...what's wrong with the current trend of "plastic" corks? My rabbit style opener from Costco, around $12 and all metal construction, handles them like butta so you preserve the tradition and solve the "corked" issue at the same time.

Drew

Thomas · 11-19-2005, 09:47 AM,

Drew, one thing wrong with the synthetics that wineries don't like--the plastic things have proven good for no more than 4 or 5 years aging. They are fine for most wines, but risky for wines with an intended life span.

Plus, they don't work so well with all corkscrews...

WW, I just read two articles in Wines and Vines where, in each one, producers switching from cork to synthetic claimed they lose from 3 to 5% of their production to cork taint.

A lot of the taint is apparnetly caught at the winery before distribution.

When I produced wine I lost 1 to 2% to taint, and that accounted only for what I caught before it went into the market.

[This message has been edited by foodie (edited 11-19-2005).]

Innkeeper · 11-19-2005, 10:17 AM,

The synthetic corks strip the Teflon off the worms.

Drew · 11-19-2005, 02:12 PM,

I learnt summpin new every day...thanks guys.
(Still hate those screwcaps!)

DRew

hotwine · 11-19-2005, 02:23 PM,

I don't like 'em either, Drew. Still prefer the real thing, and don't expect 100% success rate with cork. A higher taint rate would be troublesome, but current level seems tolerable to me.

Thomas · 11-19-2005, 02:38 PM,

Hotwine,

I don't think producers look at the problem the way consumers do. Losing 3 to 5% product is bad business--even worse when people who buy tainted wines that get into distribution blame the producer for bad wine and don't buy it again.

brappy · 11-20-2005, 01:15 AM,

I agree Foodie, Almost no other business accepts this type of loss. Why would the wine business be any different? Very good point you made!

mark

hotwine · 11-20-2005, 08:38 AM,

Foodie, I think most prudent producers/vendors of anything include a loss factor in their business plans, whether it be loss of a calf or two to coyotes or a box of candy bars to sticky fingers. A 5% loss rate isn't bad, statistcally.... but I agree that having the consumer detect the problem and blame the prouducer isn't a good thing at all.

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