October - Italian Wine
Screwcaps For Wine Is It Bye-Bye To The Romance?
Maybe youve noticed screwcaps on more of the higher priced wines lately. The trend is continuing to grow and so is the debate of whether a screwcap or cork is better for wine. The industry has basically "agreed to disagree" as to whether wine bottled with a screwcap or a cork tastes better, ages better and has less of a tendency to spoil.
As more wineries consider using screwcaps instead of the traditional cork, one has to wonder how the public at large will accept the change in tradition. When the occasional wine drinker sees a $20 bottle of wine with a screwcap, will he move to the next bottle on the shelf because he conjuring thoughts in his mind of his college years and Boones Farm Apple Wine?
Corks hold tradition and romance for a bottle of wine. It's hard to imagine dining at a fine eating establishment and ordering a bottle of wine without expecting the waiter pull out his corkscrew. Watching him carefully cut the foil, masterfully twist the screw into the cork, and giving it a pull with a final, ever so slight, pop, is part of what we pay for when we order a bottle of wine. It's shear romance; it's a moment we hold in our memory of a nice dining experience.
Why would a winery want to change an age-old tradition that holds so much charm? Well, apparently the occurrence of wines being spoiled because of the cork is a fairly large problem. One report from the International Wine Challenge, the world's largest wine competition, states that nearly one in 20 bottles, or 4.9% of the 11,033 bottles opened at that competition had spoiled or the flavor had been flattened because of the cork.
How is the cork responsible for the ruin of so much wine? Cork is a tree bark and when wine corks are manufactured, chlorine bleach is used for cleaning and brightening the color. When the bleach comes in contact with the natural molds that are present in the cork, a reaction occurs and a chemical called trichloroanisole (TCA) is produced. If this chemical comes in contact with the wine, it will cause it to taste like damp cardboard. When this happens the wine is then referred to as being "corked", and it is undrinkable.
Screwcaps have proven themselves to be a better alternative to cork. First developed in Australia, the brand name for screwcaps used for wine is Stelvin, so you will often hear them referred to as such. These caps are not the same as those used for food and drink; these caps are specially designed to protect fine wines from tainting for a period of time and to allow for aging. Basically the part of the cap that actually contacts the wine is made from a thin coating of Teflon film over pure tin, this gives the cap the capability to stay stable and flavor-neutral for a very long time.
There are some screwcap critics that say the Stelvin caps don't allow for proper "breathing" so the wine can age, however, this is a myth. If a cork is perfect and works the way it is supposed to work, it will not allow air into the bottle. Actually, oxygen is potentially harmful to the wine and very unnecessary for the aging process. To quote a leading Bordeaux authority Professor Pascal Ribreau-Gayon in the Handbook of Enology,
reactions that take place in bottled wine do not require oxygen.
And one more authority, Professor Emile Peynaud of Bordeaux says,
it is the opposite of oxidation, a process of reduction, or asphyxia by which wine develops in the bottle
So, as we watch a trend develop of vintners moving toward using screwcaps we, the wine-drinking public, are just going to have to come to terms with the fact that screwcaps have proven themselves. Because of the Stelvin, we consumers will be able to enjoy better preserved and better tasting wine in the years to come. Actually, instead of thinking about moving to the next bottle on the shelf because of the screwcap, we should be seeking out the wine that delights your palate regardless of whether it uses a screwcap or not.
David-The Wine Gift Guy loves to drink wine. He also likes to write about the wine he drinks and everything he learns along the way. Read about his experiences, reviews, and recommendations at his website, http://www.TheWineGiftGuy.com . Comments at the site are encouraged, stop by & help David build a great big, snob-free, wine-loving community.
A Short Italian Wine Summary
Screwcaps For Wine Is It Bye-Bye To The Romance?
Maybe youve noticed screwcaps on more of the higher priced wines lately. The trend is continuing to grow and so is the debate of whether a screwcap or...
Click Here to Read More About Wine ...
Italian Wine Items For Viewing
Grand Selection Chilean Syrah Reserve
On the smooth slopes of the Marchigue valley, influenced by unparralleled climate grow the vineyards of the Errazuriz Ovalle family, this microclimate area shares sunny days of high luminosity with cold nights resulting from the proximity of the Pacific Ocean. The soils of poor fertility produce low yields of highly concentrated rich character full-bodied fruit grape bunches. This dry red wine is a great gfit. Surprise your friends with this Grand Selection Chilean Syrah! CRGSR701 CRGSR701
Price: 28.95 USD
News about Italian Wine
Moderation
Mon, 20 Oct 08 07:33:32 -0700
Today’s piece is not high level neurobiology, more like some thoughts on simple everyday approach to life. I have written previously about the importance of consistency in regards to exercise (and see the piece by Alan Couzens), which I think is related to moderation. I have two examples where I recently didn’t practice moderation, one story you are likely familiar with, another might be new to you. Lack of Moderation # 1: My first moderation story resolved around drinking wine. I hadn’t dr
Interview with Lara Dunston
Mon, 20 Oct 08 07:29:04 -0700
Lara Dunston, author of many Lonely Planet, Rough Guides, and Eyewitness travel guides, is this month’s travel interview. Lara provided such a depth of answers that this interview will be spread out over two posts and will cover a wide range of topics, including addressing some of the issues Thomas Khonstamm and Chuck Thompson brought up in previous interviews. Nomadic Matt: For starters, what gave you the travel bug? Lara Dunston: I blame the travel bug on this pivotal event as well as sev
Spotlight On: Adams Bench
Mon, 20 Oct 08 07:00:45 -0700
Adams Bench Winery is a small, family-owned winery located in Woodinville, Washington. The owners and co-winemakers are the husband/wife team of Tim and Erica Blue. Their winemaking consultant is Chris Camarda of Andrew Will Winery. In order to pay the bills and fund their winery operation, Tim has maintained his day job as an attorney at a downtown Seattle law firm, and Erica, an Ob-Gyn who no longer practices, works part-time as a medical clinic administrator. Bitten by the wine bug, Tim and
The Red (Hot) Center - Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park, Northern Territory, Australia
Mon, 20 Oct 08 05:07:57 -0700
Jump to the full entry & travel map Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park, Northern Territory, Australia So, after two days of rest/visit we're headed to the three Central Australian icons: Kings Canyon, Ayers Rock/Uluru, and the Olgas/Kata Tjuta. The only remarkable thing about the 300 miles (500 km) of flat and boring road that got us to the first of them was that we discovered the third favorite sport of Australians (of course, after cricket and rugby): throwing beer containers out the
Caprock Analytics Stock Ratings
Mon, 20 Oct 08 05:04:05 -0700
Stock-Net presents custom stock ratings, powered by Caprock Analytics. These stocks, which represent a small portion of all rated stocks, highlight a sample of the strongest rated stocks from over 4,000 stocks that are actively tracked and analyzed by Caprock Analytics. To view all of the top rated stocks updated on a daily basis, please register for FREE at Caprock Analytics, login, and view the updated Stock rating lists on the website. The Caprock Analytics Strength Metric is a proprietary
From liqueur to wine, expanding a family empire (The Globe and Mail)
Mon, 20 Oct 08 04:58:40 -0700
Alexandra Marnier Lapostolle talks about Grand Marnier in times of turmoil. Plus, exclusive video.
Shiraz Wine
Wine Rating
Labels: Vintage Wine
0 Comments:
<< Home