Change takes some getting used to. As a society, we opt for the security of the known and take comfort in our routines and habits. We might not pursue ventures or take risks for fear of failing.
Within the wine world, there have been copious changes, some that have been embraced and others that proved unsuccessful. For example, the attempt at modernization of Italy’s wine production never truly took off. Using temperature-controlled winemaking and storage facilities, 100% barrique and rotary fermentation may have led to easier and cheaper production, but it came at the expense of classic wines. Some winemakers, like Paolo Scavino, ultimately switched back to traditional practices, including the use of Slavonian oak.
Currently, one of the big movements seen within the industry is in the form of bottle closures. Though many wine drinkers initially turned up their noses at the screw cap, increasingly more producers are shifting towards the twist off and away from cork. New World producers appear to be leading the charge. The U.S., Chile and New Zealand, among other countries, all offer wines that come sealed by twist-off tops.
This week’s e-mail blast from Appellation Wine & Spirits contrasts the use of cork versus screw cap closure. Though offering pros and cons of each, Screw Top (May 12) veered toward the merits of the screw cap.
In recent years, the use of a flip-off top, much like a bottle of beer, has been employed to seal sparkling wines. I’m reminded of a bottle of the Green Point Non Vintage Brut from Australia that I tasted while living in London. The contents were just as delicious as sparklers with cork closures. An added benefit was the ease of opening the bottle, without worry that the pressure would escape too quickly and cause an explosion rather than the “pfff” that should be softly sounded. Of course, there’s something ceremonious about popping the cork on a bottle of sparkling wine that was lacking from the Green Point.
There’s no telling if or when there will be closure to whether cork or a screw cap is better to seal a bottle. And there’s no telling if risks we take are the right ones until we try. However, the good thing about change is that there’s always the option to change back.
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