Screwing Around
Screw Caps vs. Cork—Which Way Would You Go?
by Fred Dame, MS

The hottest topic in the world of wine today isn't about vintages, varietals or locations. Mother Nature's legendary temper makes each year exciting for winemakers around the world. Yet it seems that one of her less obvious wonders has taken precedence, that wonderful tree bark known as cork. And the question on our minds is: To screw or not to screw?

That nasty little infection 2,4,6-Trichloranisole (TCA) has made its mark. The contamination happens during the cork sterilization process, so little can be done to halt it other than careful bark selection and lot inspection. Unfortunately, the cork industry has been very slow to respond to winemakers' demands for quality. As a result we are seeing more Stelvin-type closures, also known as screw caps. Don't worry, it's not happening overnight—although Switzerland already uses more than 15 million annually. In the United States, usage could reach ten million this year.

Other Options: Plastic Corks by Sabaté

A significant number of highly regarded wineries in the United States are taking the plunge. Plumpjack have been bottling 50 percent of their reserve production in Stelvin. This year, look for Calera, Argyle and Sonoma-Cutrer to join in on the action.

Randall Grahm of Bonny Doon has given up on cork completely. His entire production will be bottled with screw caps this year. We spoke with Randall at this year's Sommelier Summit about his decision. He believes that screw caps are the best closure currently available. Let us assure you that if anything better comes along he'll be the first to use it.

It seems everyone agrees that the Stelvin closure is the best alternative to cork currently available. Don't expect to see the revolution to impact the United States as quickly as it has Australia and New Zealand, though. The cork offers tradition and a proven track record. There are numerous other projects under way in an attempt to find a better solution that may be successful.

Bonny Doon With Screw Cap

So what is the hold-up? Why not just order up those caps and bottling machines and get to work? There are still a number of issues on the table. Without doubt, the main argument is over the issue of aging. The cork has a wonderful ability to let the wine breathe. No one knows how screw caps will react to long periods of aging. There have been incubation experiments and short-term experiments. In an article by Carol Emert in the San Francisco Chronicle, she describes a blind tasting of the 1998 Plumpjack Reserve in cork and cap. That's about as far as anyone in this country has gone. The results were mixed. For the moment, the logical thinking would be that for near-term consumption screw caps are just fine, while for aging, cork is it.

However, how much of an issue is cellaring in 2000s? The majority of wine consumed in this country is drunk within eight hours of its purchase. And, that majority is probably in the neighborhood of 95 percent. Most new homes are built without cellars anyway. That makes storage space a real problem. We happen to own two refrigerators and a 500-bottle cooler for home consumption. Even then there are boxes and bottles sitting around. It's an expensive proposition. There are new companies, such as San Francisco's Vintrust, that are making storage management a significant industry.

In the world of hospitality and wine service, there is a hotly debated issue that is making sommeliers, restaurant owners and waitstaff a little nervous. We all know and understand the ritual of the cork, but screw caps? Remember all those wonderful jokes about screw caps and brown bags? We think the simple notion that wine has a casual side may actually benefit the wine industry in its ongoing battle with liquor and beer interests. It could even be fun!

Fred Dame is the President of the Court of Master Sommeliers. He obtained his MS Diploma in the United Kingdom in 1984 and was the first American to win the prestigious Krug Cup of the British Court of Master Sommeliers. He is also an Honorary Trustee of The American Academy of Chefs.