Screw Cap
Using A Cork Or Screw Caps
It is now very rare to find the total use of natural cork to stop wine bottles with the Rioja region of Spain being the most obvious exception. Increasingly, for a wide variety of reasons, the use of plastic stoppers and screw caps is becoming widespread. Why is this so, and what are the pros and cons of each method, and what should we be looking for when considering the alternatives? This really is a topic of hot debate in the world of wine at the moment. By tasting wines using the different methods of stopping, you can join this debate fully with your own opinions, thereby reinforcing the subjectivity of wine appreciation.
Most consumers still prefer natural cork and think of it as the most classy and professional way to package and stop wine. They would argue that the popping of a cork is part of the romance of wine appreciation, but it is true that the incidence of cork taint is on the increase. This occurs when a bad cork infects the wine with a mouldy, musty smell and flavour. Indeed it is believed that somewhere approaching one in twenty bottle are so affected, and whilst the worse ones are relatively easy to spot, those affected slightly do not become apparent until opened and nearly drunk. Never suffer a corked wine, always send it back or return it to the vendor. Cork producers are working hard to improve the consistency in quality with constantly improving results. It is important to remember that wines bottled using natural cork do generally age well, because the cork allows for a tiny exchange of air within the bottle, resulting in a gradual, small amount of oxidation.
Plastic stoppers prevent this cork taint and indeed some are made to look like natural cork, but they can be difficult to get off the corkscrew and even harder to get back into the unfinished bottle. Probably the most important issue with plastic stoppers is that we do not know how the wine reacts to the plastic. It is this doubt that has prompted producers to move over to screw caps, which were traditionally used to stop cheaper wines. Now more and more premium wine is stopped this way with the Australians and New World producers leading the way, although some progressive Europeans are joining the trend.
Screw caps eliminate cork taint, allow effective resealing and were first used to seal those wines considered to be susceptible to cork taint, such as Riesling or Sauvignon Blanc. Whilst red wines can benefit from cork sealing in terms of taste, screw caps are much easier to use. As for the future screw caps seem to be in the ascendancy at the moment, but as cork producers begin to tackle the problem of taint effectively there might be a revival in its uptake.
About the Author
Information on caffeine allergy can be found at the Negative Effects Of Caffeine site.
Screw Cap Tutorial
|
|
Rear screw on protective camera lens Cap M42 for Pentax Praktica Fujica Zenit $3.12 |
|
|
50 Glass vials 8 ml (2 dram) + screw cap – Lab bottle $15.60 |
|
|
Multi-Function Waiters Metal Folding Red Wine Bottle Cork Screw Beer Cap Opener $2.47 |
|
|
CLEARANCE: Snap On Screw Caps 29 Mixed (Brown, White, Black) $39.07 |
|
|
STAINLESS STEEL HIP FLASK Liquor Alcohol Screw Cap 6 OZ $3.75 |
|
|
KAWASAKI ZX7R NINJA TANK FILLER CAP BOLTS + SEC SCREW $5.49 |
|
|
16mm Stainless Steel Screw Caps Decorative Mirror Nails $4.16 |
|
|
Thinkpad X60s X61s lid screw cover set,screw caps,NEW $1.99 |
|
|
Front Fork Screw Cap for Honda CBR900 CBR 929 954 RR 00 01 02 03 CBR 900 Gd $15.88 |
|
|
VAUXHALL OPEL OMEGA PETROL DIESEL TANK FUEL SCREW CAP $6.26 |
|
|
New Kitchen Supplies 8oz Hip Stainless Steel Liquor Alcohol Flask Screw Cap $3.25 |
|
|
BIG! CRYSTAL AB Bling Diamond Rhinestone License Plate Frame + Screw Caps $27.95 |
|
|
RPM Traxxas T-Maxx 2.5 Pillow Ball Set Screw & Bushing Caps RPM80010 $8.08 |
|
|
HPI Nitro Baja 5B Cap Head Screw M5x16mm With Spring W HPI15447 $6.16 |
|
|
Team Associated RC-8 buggy Flat Head Cap Screw 3x30mm ASC89212 $7.45 |
|
|
Locking Screw Mount OFF-ON Red Cap 250V Push Switch,3P2 $2.95 |
|
|
1pcs Dash Panel Mount Fuse Holder Screw Cap 5×20 Type $1.95 |
|
|
SIGG Water Bottle Top ECHO Green Screw Loop 8096.90 Cap $6.98 |
|
|
TEAM ASSOCIATED Socket Head Cap Screws 4-40×5/16 6932 $1.49 |
|
|
Front Fork Screw Cap for Honda CBR900 CBR 929 954 RR 00 01 02 03 CBR 900 Gold $15.88 |
|
|
02093 M3*10 Cap Screw*10PCS $2.19 |
|
|
2 Panel Dash Mount Fuses 6×30 Holder Case Screw Cap,108 $2.95 |
|
|
16mm Stainless Steel Screw Caps Mirror Nails Decoration $3.70 |
|
|
INFINITI Chrome Metal License Plate Frame L+Screw Caps $5.90 |
|
|
Stainless Steel Socket Head Cap Screws-3/8″-16 x 2″ – 10 CT $4.95 |
|
|
CHROME POP-UP FLUSH GAS CAP for Harley Davidson Sportster Gas Fuel Tank Vented $21.95 |
|
|
Front Fork Screw Cap for Honda CBR900 CBR 929 954 RR 00 01 02 03 CBR 900 Silver $15.88 |
|
|
Hex Head Cap Screws – Grade 5 – 3/8-16 x 3-1/2 $8.35 |
|
|
02049 Engine Mounts w/cap screw $4.19 |
|
|
1/2-20×1-1/4 Socket Hd Cap Screw Alloy Steel Black (10) $3.00 |
|
|
Panel Dash Mount Fuses 6×30 Holder Case Screw Cap,108 $1.95 |
|
|
180 1/2″ X 1 3/4″ 13 THREAD CAP BOLT SCREW HEX SOCKET HEAD 3/8″ ALLEN FITS HEAD $27.00 |
|
|
Metric Socket Head Cap Screw Quantity 100 $79.99 |
|
|
SOCKET SOURCE FHA05C016B 5/16-18X1 FLAT HEAD CAP SCREWS (LOT OF 50) ***NIB*** $14.00 |
|
|
New 5/8-11X6-1/2 Socket Head Cap Screw Quantity 100 $321.99 |
|
|
Ball Mouth Plastic Storage Caps Ball Regular Mouth Plastic Storage Caps… |
|
|
Oster 4902-003 Replacement Blender Jar Base $0.99 Oster blender bottom cap-fits all osterizer blenders… |
|
|
Brita 24-Ounce Bottle with Filter, Twin Pack … |
|
|
The F-Ups $5.69 … |
|
|
Chapter 237 – Dope Dealin & Cap Peelin ’95 $15.00 Track Listing: Disc 1 1. Freestyle – Big Mellow, Lil Agg, Repeat Offenders, KB 2. Freestyle – KB, Big Mellow, Repeat Offenders 3. Freestyle – Big Mellow, KB, Repeat Offenders 4. Freestyle – KB, Repeat Offenders, Big Mellow 5. Gotta Get My Loot – Dangerous Crew 6. Inst Disc 2 1. Pour Out A Little Liquor – 2pac 2. I Wanna Be Down Remix – Brandy, ft. MC Lyte 3. Late Night Hype – Half Dead 4… |
|
|
aluminum screw caps, chocolate, pills and pasta $1.99 … |
|
|
Sylvania 14502 50 Watt PAR20 Narrow Flood Light Bulb / 30 Degree Beam Spread / 120 Volt 50 watt 120 volt PAR20 Medium Screw (E26) Base 2,950K Narrow Flood Capsylite Halogen Incandescent Sylvania Light Bulb… |
|
|
Tend Skin Tend Skin 2.5 oz Refillable Roll On $8.99 For Razor Bumps, Ingrown Hairs & Razor BurnSince Tend Skin® Liquid first hit the market in late 1994, customers have asked for an easier way to apply it to the skin. Using a cotton ball to apply the product wastes a lot; the cotton ball tends to fall apart and the fingers start to peel a few days later. The search for an acceptable system was hampered, because we could not find a package that wou… |
|
|
Waterproof Airtight Pill Fob Holder Med Rx Box Keychain $0.99 This heavy ounce and a half (1 & 1/2 OZ.) rugged metal pill holder has an attached keychain so that critical medications are always close by. Perfect for holding “nitro” tablets, asprin, pills or any prescriptions that must be taken during the day. Has screw-on cap with a thick O-ring seal to keep medication airtight and moisture-free. Perfect also to be used for mints, emergency cash, lunch mid-d… |
|
|
Glass Vials, 1 Dram, Pack of 12 $2.50 High quality clear Borosilicate glass vials, made in the USA. These vials may be used in various applications, including liquids or dry goods. All vials come with screw-on black phenolic caps attached. The Dram is the traditional unit of measure for vials. Dram = 1/8 Fluid Ounce…. |