Cork or screw cap?

[wineo]

This seems to be discussed quite often in forums now. I was wondering if anyone knew what differences having a screw cap on the wine would make? Would you lose some of the corky or woody flavours?

 

wineo

[Kieran]

You certainly lose any TCA-related flavours. Wood flavour should come from the wine, not the cork, so it shouldn't be lost. I don't think that there's any negative effects, except that aging might be slowed a little. Bottle variation is reduced dramatically.

Kieran

[wineo]

What does TCA stand for in TCA-related flayours?

[Kieran]

TriChloroAnisol, which is the chemical which comprises cork taint. Small amounts can seem a wine seem flat or stale. Larger quantities will have the aroma of rotting cardboard or wet socks and make a wine undrinkable. TCA in any quantity is regarded as a fault. Usually it comes from the cork, but in rare cases it can affect batches in a winery.

Kieran

[The Consultant]

Screw caps are blossoming a mini revolution and thumbs up is the general consensus. Many wine enthusiasts quietly proclaim their approval however slightly tinted by tradition and regime. Some others, such as Gluck (albeit slightly contraversal) are more than happy to buzz off every bottle and class a 'new type' of wine. Check out some of his tasting notes, often they will start/end with 'and yes...its a screwcap!'

But thumbs up, better than synthetic, and erasing the TCAs.

Ciao

[wineo]

I agree, it is better than synthetic.

But I feel like something is missing when I don't get to use the corkscrew... ;o)

[Kieran]

You're quite right, something is missing. Mostly: bottle variation, oxidation, and wine which smells like wet socks.

Kieran

[Ingrid]

I agree with Kieran.
For the life of me, I can't see why if we eagerly accept new revolations and advancements in every other industry, why people are dragged kicking and screaming to accept screwcaps. Sure, going from A-B in a horse and carriage is a more 'romantic', traditional ideal, but at the end of the day is it more practical?
This is concerning drink-now wines.
When it comes to a more serious, aged reds, I am not entirely convinced that enough testing has been done to warrant the elimination of cork altogether. Perhaps it is partly cork that adds to that alluring, complex 'stink' on a Burgundy or Bordaux? If so, I'll have mine with cork, thanks.

[wineo]

Here is a small twist on things...

 

[winehiker]

I, too, am ambivalent about the trend toward screwcaps. Like Beau Jarvis over at Basic Juice, I like a little funk in my wine sometimes, a taste that only a wine from a corked bottle (as opposed to a "corked" wine) can seem to give. Oh, but I love the freshness of a wine sealed by a screwcap, too. I'll have to agree with Ingrid that the jury will be out for some time as we (the jury) deliberate about how screwcapped wines will age.

I've written a little about this subject previously in my blog, "Winehiker Witiculture." If you have a moment, scoot on over for a fun read: http://www.californiawinehikes.com/winehiker/?p=5.

[powermovers]

I've tried both, and prefer corks.    Screw cap wine left overs, from previous day are not the same as if when you leave a cork in it.

Now if you're going to finish the bottle screw cao bottle then I think you're fine.  But popping the cork just has something about it.

[americanwn]

The media can shape our perceptions over time (whether intentionally or unintentionally I will not argue) and most of the time we barely realise it.  Think about public opinion over the Iraq war as an example.

My point here is that at some point it may transition to screw caps being the better choice from a traditional point of view as younger wine drinkers associate more memories with the click sound of a screw cap over the pop of a cork.  I'm just saying we associate romanticism with a cork because it's been our experience up until recently.

I'm for screw caps, personally.

[winelv1]

I drink some whites that have screw caps and have yet to find a problem. We do not store them to long though. I have not been able to bring myself to purchase a good red with a screw cap. Just a point though you don't see to many good reds out there with the screw cap. So I would think before we all try to change, maybe the wineries also have to decide. I may be wrong yet think one of the few that have started using screw caps on some of their high end reds is Plump Jack. Are there any long term studies on screw caps and storage?