Back in September I met up with Tim Adams in Ballyvaughan, Co. Clare. He’s a top bloke and winemaker in the Clare Valley South Australia. His sentiments on screwcaps echoed that of many Australian winemakers. In the last year, I’ve met quite a few Aussie winemakers. Without generalising what they share some common traits, the first of which is an open mind. Screw cap is the best closure, they feel, for now, but they’re perfectly willing to adopt whatever comes next.
The second shared trait is confidence. This was quite clear to me, again back in September, when I met up with three other winemakers, amongst them, Ben Glaetzer. Some of his Mitolo range, including the “Amarone-method” Serpico Cab costs around €50, yet it’s under screwcap.
Contrast this with Chile where on a recent trip I learned that they are reluctant to embrace screwcap because of the perception of cheap in some of their markets.
This, to me, is about a lack of confidence. Particularly when at a Chilean tasting last year, a significant number of bottles had been taken off the tables because of cork-related faults.
What do you think of screwcaps? Do you even care? Pop a comment below, I’d love to hear your thoughts.
Good interview, thanks.
I was in Clare in 1999 and there were a lot of corked wines there back then, so no wonder they wanted better closures for their excellent Rieslings (and Semillon, in Tim’s case).
Here in Bordeaux, I’m debating on our next bottling and will be in touch with customers, such as Curious Wines, today. I tried Stelvin for our Bauduc blanc 2002 and 2006 vintages, but now there’s much less resistance of course. A non-starter for French sales though – but I really want to go one way or the other, and not offer both corks and Stelvin as before. Logistically a dog for us to offer both and I think we have to stand by our beliefs.
Ireland is presumably fine with Stelvin – especially for whites and rosés? Technically, I’m convinced but we’ll probably stick with top grade corks for the reds. I’m just not sure that people want Chateau-bottled Bordeaux reds with Stelvin in the same way that they want Kiwi Pinots. Not for the moment. (I realise the ‘non-sense’ in my argument there though).
The Bauduc 2002 white – mostly Sauvignon Blanc – I tried the other night, by the way, was surprisingly fresh and delicious and in far better shape than the cork version, and two bottles of a top St-Emilion last night were corked just to drive the point home. As Tim Adams says, no romance in that.
From a practical point of view, I replaced the screwcap on the 2002 white and drank the remainder later. Still fine. I would have forgotten to squeeze in a cork, so the instinctive reaction to replace the screwcap is a big plus when you don’t want to drink a bottle.
The final nail for me is the ridiculous set of promo videos released by the cork industry, available on youtube under ’100percentcork’. Dissing crap.
Hi Gavin,
thanks for taking the time to comment. I must admit to still liking the ritual of cutting the cap and uncorking a bottle. It builds a sense of anticipation, and that’s a hard one to change, I’d imagine.
I agree with your point, Kiwi Pinot, okay, but this perception and emotional attachment with cork in Chateau-bottled Bordeaux reds (and other premium wines) is very real and won’t change quickly, at least not with a good series of YouTube videos and Facebook “likes” ;)
Lar
When consumers talk about the romance of cork I’ve always quoted Jeffrey Grosset’s tongue in cheek retort to the effect you’re looking in the wrong place for romance!
Hi guys,
Let me join the debate as an interested party. Gavin, as per phone message and for the record, I LOVE screwcap and LOATHE cork, with equal passion!
As a consumer, there’s nothing more disappointing than a corked bottle. As a retailer, there’s nothing more frustrating, and nothing less profitable. There’s also the horrible middle ground of confused consumers not liking a wine and then either coming into the shop tentatively suggesting a fault, or worse, saying nothing and never buying the wine again.
I had the pleasure of attending Wine Australia’s presentation of Clare Valley in Cork last year where Tim was the guest of honour. The comment that stuck with me in the cork/screwcap debate was “screwcap allows the wine to be enjoyed, every time, as the wine-maker intended”. It kind of closed the argument for me, although I was long-since sold. The other thing that stuck with me was the ageing debate – it appears screwcap actually slows the ageing process, allowing wines to develop over a greater time-scale. How exciting is that!
Gavin, PLEASE go Stelvin. Not that I’ve had a single corked wine from Chateau Bauduc, from memory, but it ensures we definitely won’t in the future, and allows us to sell wines with confidence that the customer will get your product as you intended. I’m encouraging all the wineries we source from to go screwcap, it’s the only show in town.
Anyone who disagrees can go fusty with their wines.
Cheers
Mike
PS Love the Grosset quip, quite right! :-)
Thanks Mike
I think that’s the first negotiation I’ve had with an important trade customer – via someone else’s blog. While we’re on the subject, I’d like to chat with you about the survey you did with your customers – surveymonkey I think it was.. oh and I’ve lined up the Head Sommelier from Restaurant Gordon Ramsay to chat to you for your blog, as per Matt’s request, and, yes, regarding you guys coming to stay in our farmhouse in Bordeaux in April, no problem and …. Cheers, Gavin
Woohoo! FTW, thanks Gavin, and Lar! :-)))
I like the ceremony of finding the corkscrew, slipping a few times, stabbing myself in the hand and finally managing to lever the cork from the bottle. The extra work makes the wine taste all the nicer!
I do think it adds to the ceremony of the occasion, but I also love just being able to open and pour. I never open a screwcap and associate it with sub par or cheap wine – it’s just a different top on the bottle for me.
Mike’s point of assured quality is most important to me as a consumer. That’s what I’m really after, everything else is secondary.
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Curious Wines, BoozeMonkey, Small Sips, Small Sips, Small Sips and others. Small Sips said: Irish wine blogs: Tim Adams on Cork versus Screwcap https://bit.ly/hX4Drf #wine #ireland [...]
Very much looking forward to April, and thanks for the invite. Can I bring the wife and kids?
What was that that Gavin said, all the Irish bloggers and their families can come? Good times!
I’m fairly neutral on the cork-screwcap debate and I’m indifferent to the closure in my wine unless it’s plastic, which I’m very negative towards.
Gavin mentions the “100% cork” campaign and there has been much negative reaction towards it, as far as I have seen. But, for me, it’s just innocent tongue-in-cheek banter. They aren’t the best videos in the world but they are worth a wry smile and it’s nice to see the cork sector fighting its corner.
In general, I like cork. I don’t think I can detect TCA so that’s probably why I’m not bothered by the cork taint thing.
From a merchant’s view, though, I’m not surprised cork-related problems wreck their heads. As Mike says, often the customer just won’t like they wine but won’t know why and will never say anything to the shop – potentially lost customer.
There is no question – corks are more romantic than screwcaps. As a material, cork is much more pleasant than “Tin Man” Stelvin.
For me this is now a technical question rather than a proper debate.
Yes, there are perception/psychological issues to do with screwcaps. That’s silly and shortsighted.
As an atheist I also understand that there are instances in life where the beauty, harmony & reassurance of traditional ‘ceremony’ is lacking … but that is no excuse for choosing the wrong closure (or lifestyle)
There are instances, such as young, aromatic whites (especially) prone to oxidation where you would be mad NOT to use screwcaps.
On the other hand, we are decades away from PROPER research and experience of technical closures that can truly replace the MANY positive influences of good cork on wines, particularly red wines that have received extensive oak ageing.
And there are many wines that fall in between that need greater technical knowledge than I have to decide on the best closure.
I respect the considered decisions made by winemakers for their own wines. What I don’t appreciate are producers and consumers who are not willing to consider the benefits of each alternative and are blindly driven by one agenda or another.
Yes, cork suffers from TCA issues, but a lot less than it used to, but screwcaps also suffer from reductive issues, and there are MANY other causes of faults that have no link to closure at all (see the debate on reignofterroir.com on wines that have been HACked)
Sorry! I am breaking a rule about posting after enjoying dinner and wine, so maybe too blunt – hope it makes some sense
Robert
I agree with much of what you say. Meanwhile, forgive me but just to show that I follow you on Twitter, I enjoyed your midnight tweet:
(@thirstforwine) I’m disappointed by the fact that while I was defending cork tonight, my own wine was suffering from traces of TCA :(
Yours aye
Gavin
lol, brilliant dinner-and-wine inspired contribution, Robert. I had never considered closure type in terms of religion but it could explain my wonderment at those who appear to cling to cork for cork’s sake.
I’m still waiting for any evidence that suggests there is benefit in a material that’s as flawed and erratic as the human psyche itself (however beautiful it can be), over scientific progress which allows a product to be enjoyed as ‘God’ (the wine-maker in this instance) intended.
If it means I can sell, and enjoy, my wine with complete confidence in its consistency, and if you’ll excuse the pun, screw tradition :-)
…and I hope you’ll excuse *my* bluntness. I’ve just had breakfast :-)
I should clarify (in the bright light of day) that I’m suspicious of anyone that is “100%” anything – whether that is cork, religion or whatever.
And forgive me if I still chuckle at the irony of those who believe in the “scientific progress” of screwcaps whilst simultaneously rejecting the “scientific progress” of cultured yeasts, reverse osmosis, micro-oxygenation, and so on.
No wine is natural. Every decision is a choice along a technology continuum that covers ‘natural’ processes, traditions, experience, and innovation.
YOU may value consistency over development, that’s fine.
OTHERS may value the ethereal character that comes from a well aged wine under cork, at the mercy of nature/God, because the development of a wine is NOT just under the control of the winemaker
Don’t forget that evening out variation may remove negative flaws, but it also removes positive developments.
As for my wine last night, it was disappointing, but I could just as easily have been pointing out the oxidation I experienced the night before on a bottle of screwcapped Aussie Riesling
Fun discussing anyway :)
[...] the last installment of “Cork versus Screwcap”, Tim Adams from Australia’s Clare Valley talked about why he (and most of Australia) favours sc…. In the video below, Alberto Zenato talks about why he favours cork, particular for wines like [...]
I would love to get involved in this little debate.
I used to be very anti stelvin but have softened my approach. I am an old romantic at heart. Cheap & cheerful wines.. not a problem for me but when you start talking about Bordeaux and Rhone wines with age, then i go a bit iffy. I do enjoy the ceremony of it all
(warning – wine name dropping alert ) – i was at a dinner party last night and there was a 1961 Pomerol opened and it was fresh as a daisy and that was a cork closure… ( unfortunetly i was late and only got the last drop – bloody women and makeup )
The consumer doesnt mind it in white but i do get negative reaction to the reds sometimes under stelvin. I was preached to once by a stelvin evanglist and that annoys me – there must be room for both in the world.
i personally like the fact that each wine is different and i don’t want all of my wines to be exactly the same … farmyard smells are great :)
in saying all this… nothing worse than a corked wine, but if i finally get to taste DRC and it is under stelvin then i will be most displeased …
Well I suppose here is my two cents worth. For me it is screwcap all the way. The vast majority of our wines are under screwcap [only 2 under cork] and as put by Kevin O Brien from Kangarilla Road – wineries spend so much time and attention in producing their wines to have a small piece of softwood undo that ? Can you imagine if someone now tried to sell a cork style closure as new technology in todays marketplace – two words led and balloon.
I have had good and bad experiences with cork closures – fortunate enough to have tasted some older vintage Bordeaux and Champagne that were stored under cork and they were all as you would want them to be. Unfortunately, sticking with Bordeaux as an example, I have had several more recent vintages where the wines were destroyed.
Ultimately it is up to the consumer but from a business and commerical point of view – screwcap is a no brainer.
What is also good to see is that some producers are started to go for higher quality stelvins rather then standards to give their bottles that classier look – more of this please :)
Cheers
Frank
Ah yes, romance and tradition – I just love the romance and tradition of pouring an almost full bottle down the sink while cursing under my breath.
Imagine for a moment that screwcap was the accepted closure for wine since forever. Then someone comes along and says “Hey, I have a great idea. Instead of screwcaps, why don’t we strip the bark of a rare species of oak that only grows in one part of the world. We boil it and bleach it, form it into plugs to be driven into bottles, for which you’ll need a special tool to remove them. At best, they will cause significant bottle variation and at worst they will destroy anything up to 10-12% of your wines. Isn’t that a great idea?”
Cork is a 17th century technology. Its day is over. Great premium wines, both red and white are being bottled under screwcap by some of the best winemakers in the world. John Duval, Vanya Cullen (see her thoughts on this issue here https://cl.ly/2DaC), Jeffrey Grosset, Shaw & Smith, Clonakilla and many others from Australia. Gregory Patriat from Jean Claude Boisset in Burgundy bottles wines up to Grand Cru in screwcap. Paolo de Marchi from Isole e Olena in Chianti Classico now bottles his top wine Cepparello under screwcap.
The thing to remember is that no closure is perfect. Screwcap isn’t perfect, but it it is a lot closer to perfection than cork.
Well now that that’s decided, who else is *sick to death* of glass bottles? ;-)
Gerry – thanks for the link to the Vanya Cullen article. Rgds, Gavin
[...] for the Sunday Tribune, and has recently been facilitating a cork vs screwcap debate (here and here) that might help you make up your own mind on the [...]
Gerry
you sound like a watered down version of someone who preached to me in Italy last September :)
The sarcasm is not necessary btw
Another point of view would be to say, hey – cork has worked for a long time, but it has faults. High end cork works well, but cheap cork is not worth the hassle
You bring me down a 40 year old bottle of Grand Cru Burgundy under screwcap and we’ll see how it held up
I have had to pour very few top cork wines down the sink.
I agree with a lot of what the screwcap comrades have to say, but hate the PR job being done on it …
there must be balance in the force
at least we all care about wine :)))
Gary
My comment wasn’t in response to yours or anyone else’s – just a general contribution to the overall debate. Apologies if I gave the wrong impression on that score.
I’m not saying that all wines under cork are faulty. I have tasted some great old wines, particularly from my birth year (’66) which were magnificent. I still have a Pontet Canet 66 in my possession, and by the time I put it to the sword, I’m hoping the cork will have done its job.
I have greatly enjoyed this debate. Great to read the various viewpoints and opinions of so many passionate wine folk :)
no hassle Gerry
Was only trying for a rise out of you
got it methinks
long live divesity and stelvin and cork
If you haven’t already seen the first episode of Hugh Johnson’s superb 1984 series HOW TO HANDLE A WINE – check it out. At the very end the great man pops in a mention of the “modern screwcap”.
https://bcove.me/kxd0hpvd