Liberal Elitist Wine snobs....

[bleedingheart]

What is your opinion on some wineries using screw tops?

What do you think of the synthetic corks?

I personally prefer the cork corks...but that is me. I had a waiter tell me that cork is running out...egads!!! and then I told him...that's funny because cork is renewable...from the trees it grows on...it can be harvested...the entire tree is not cut down to make corks.... (this was when we took my mother out for her birthday dinner...)

I have had two wines recently that were bad (turned vinegary) that had been sealed with synthetic corks...perhaps a problem or two not worked out or something with their storage...the liquor store allowed me to return them..

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

1. Screw tops.

Corks can get moldy and plus you have problems with corks breaking apart in your wine, neither of which make for a good drinking experience. Rubber corks, I think, are preferable.

[bleedingheart]

9. don't the corks drying out have something to do with how it is stored

???


As for the moldy corks...I have had that happen with a synthetic cork too....sounds strange but I knew the moment I smelled the cork that the wine would taste like Chateau Old Basement....

[SteppingRazor]

2. Don't be afraid of change...

Screw tops are the future. Plenty of fantastic wines are now bottled with screw tops -- Conundrum springs immediately to mind.

[bleedingheart]

5. I am resistant to changes that affect my hootch...

hahahha

I have just recently become more interested in wines....and I just didn't know whether or not the corking method makes a difference...it just seems that within the past 20 years a lot is changing in the wine industry regarding storage, bottling...etc

[GOPisEvil]

3. A great many, if not all, Australian wines are screw top.

It's the wave of the future. It's true, cork is running out. It's used for things other than in wine bottles of course. Lots of floor and wall coverings are made from cork.

[Squatch]

4. Screw tops and synthetic corks are much better wine closures

than cork or amalgamated cork closures.

[petronius]

6. Are you sure?

I read recently that the synthetic corks are less effective for wines that will be stored for a long time, although perhaps better if the wine is to be opened within a few years. (I don't recall where I read this though - it could have been Cork Growers Quarterly or somesuch...)

[Squatch]

12. You probably heard that from the few remaining holdouts

who avow the superiority of natural cork over engineered substitutes.

I use synthetic corks in my home wine making (I have won a few awards, my best of which was the best of show award at the Amateur Wine making Competition) on wines that I feel are particularly prone to over-oxidation and/or spoilage. My oldest one of which is pushing 5 years old, now. During its time in the bottle, it has matured beautifully and consistently throughout the batch.

I have had more varied and unpredictable results with natural cork.

[Aristus]

7. I have an open mind on the subject.

Whatever keeps the wine tasting good and doesn't sprinkle into the liquid itself is fine by me.

[azmouse]

8. Screw tops can't change the flavor of the wine but cork can.

I do enjoy the ritual of removing a cork from a bottle of wine. But if the goal is to enjoy the delicious beverage inside the bottle then I'll deal with the screw top to ensure the flavor.

[Left Is Write]

20. The popular image of "screw top wine" still puts me off...

When I was young, I used to buy Paul Masson wine because it was cheap and came in its own carafe (with a sealed top that could be popped off). I didn't really know any better, and I didn't own a corkscrew anyway.

I can't get past the idea of screw tops belonging to the Riunite-type wines, and so I'm suspicious of them. :)

I have not, however, noticed anything negative with synthetic corks.

[azmouse]

25. I think the 'cheap wine' image

will be the reason why we won't see screw tops take over in our lifetime. As long as I can afford some decent bottles of wine I'm happy with however they close the bottles!

[Left Is Write]

21. Dupe!

Damned error message.

[JVS]

10. The synthetic corks supposedly keep a better seal and result in less...

ruined bottles. But they're hard as all hell to get out with a swiss army knife opener. IIRC someone calculated that screwtop or even bottle caps would be better than cork and cheaper too.

[rbnyc]

11. synthetic corks are actually better for the wine.

I don't think I can get down with screw tops.

[SmokingJacket]

40. There is an okay cheap red called Bulletin that has a screw top.

It's better than Headache-in-a-bag, and it's great when you need a drink in a hurry...

[anarch]

13. Man, that Night Train is a mean wine

:shrug:

[Susang]

14. He sure is

He sure is. :scared:

[JVS]

34. riding the train is fun

[kwassa]

15. Real corks are so much more beautiful, however

like a great label on the bottle, or an interesting bottle color and shape, it is all part of the experience.

Screw tops are tacky, tacky, tacky.

[bleedingheart]

18. I have a huge collection of corks....and I am waiting to feel

inspired to do something with them....

[Texasgal]

16. No...No...No...

Cork is the only way to go. It keeps the wine fresher and helps it BREATHE, something plastic cannot do.

I REALLY hope they don't do away with cork, it really is better for the wine.

[Squatch]

19. The reason you cork a wine is that you DON'T want it to breathe

"breathing" = oxidation = spoilage.

You let the wine breathe when you decant it.

[Fleshdancer]

51. a wax seal is applied to the top of a cork to keep it from breathing

and then a decorative plastic shrink wrap like thing is applied on top of that. Nothing should get through those corks or else the wine will spoil.

[DBoon]

17. if it's good enough for Bonny Doon Winery

it's good enough for me

[skygazer]

22. I am not an elitist wine snob

But I sell wine for a living. The synthetic corks actually are better than traditional cork (which is not running out - your waiter was talking out his ass). They provide a better seal and stay cleaner and don't pick up odors or flavors that real cork can.

Screw tops too have come into their own since technology has advanced. Wineries have found that they can now properly seal wine with a screw cap with no loss of quality. There's absolutely nothing wrong with a screw cap except that it sounds odd.

The two wines that you had recently that had turned vinegary were probably not because of the synthetic cork but because they'd been stored improperly at some point. Wine should be stored in a cool place away from direct sunlight or extremes of temperature. Around 54 degrees is optimum for both reds and whites and there should be some humidity in the room. Wine should be stored on its side. You should not store wine in the frig for any length of time - chill it when you're getting ready to drink it. Extended storage at a cold temp will affect the taste of the wine, especially champagne.

Storage in too warm a room will prematurely age the wine and is the main reason for that vinegary taste.

[Left Is Write]

23. Here's a question for you...

How long can a spumante be stored?

[skygazer]

24. Spumantes don't tend to age well

Most budget wines don't. Reds age better than whites. Some quality chardonnays will age beautifully but most wines are ready to drink and don't really need to age - the exceptions are good reds and quality champagnes which develop beautifully if stored properly (the key to the whole thing). Dom Perignon is not released for sale until it's been aged at least 6 years, for instance.

I wouldn't age any spumante - it's meant to be drunk when bought. It's would probably be okay for a couple of years but the quality would diminish and you may find that you have less flavor and bubbles.

[Left Is Write]

26. That's what I thought...

My husband and I have a HUGE (I mean enormous) bottle of spumante we bought for New Year's Eve 1998. For a variety of reasons, we didn't wind up using it that year or the next. We should have just tossed it out, but it became kind of a "thing" for us. We actually brought it with us when we moved here in 2000. It now sits on a shelf surrounded by vintage barware and has become a decorative fixture in our house. My husband made noises a few weeks ago about opening it up, but I told him it would probably be TERRIBLE by now. Besides, we're kind of attached to it. ;) After all, how many people have a seven-year-old bottle of spumante on display? :rofl:

[skygazer]

27. That's funny

At this point, it probably makes a better display than it would a drink. :rofl:

[BrotherBuzz]

29. Can you think of the VERY high end winery that offered the same wine...

in both screw top and synthetic cork? I think it was a grand experiment to prove the point that if you pay eighty bucks for a bottle with a screwtop it will be well received. Snob wine is all about perception, no?

I'm a large home winemaker (I sorta excede my 200 gallon limit on good years) and I'm sticking with good old fashion waxed corks because my corker is bought and paid for and I like the ritual of opening them to share - but that's just me, so call me a snob. ;)

[skygazer]

32. I don't know that one, no

But you're quite right about perception, absolutely.

What kinds of wine do you make? That sounds like a very gratifying hobby (more than a hobby, it sounds like).

[BrotherBuzz]

38. All of them from time to time depending on market price

Zinfandel, Sauvignon Blanc, Chenin Blanc, Petite Sirah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Symphony, Barbera, Shiraz (Syrah), Chardonnay, Pinot Noir...and maybe others, but I can't think of them right now.

It's all still a hobby because the bureaucratic paperwork and bonding process is just to big a hurdle for me to conquer on my scale. I worked out a good business plan a couple of years ago and had nice numbers, then the grape glut dashed my dreams. It will have to be friends and family until things shake out.

I want to think Opus One might have been the winery that did the experiment. :shrug:

[Beausoir]

31. What about bottlecaps on sparkelers?

Seriously. I bought a Sofia Coppola (I swear it was a Coppola... maybe a prosecco?) that had a bottlecap on it. It tasted flat.

I rather like the Kim Crawford whites with the screw caps.

I can go either way with the cork. What matters to me is the TASTE both today and in the future.

[bleedingheart]

37. Thanks for the info...

what do you think about those wine storage units?

Hubby and I thought about buying one (small one) to keep wine..

[skygazer]

42. I like them from what I've seen

I'm fortunate - I have a downstairs bedroom in my house that stays quite cool. My house is built into a hillside and I think the fact that it's essentially underground keeps it cool as well as moist. The temp, even in summer, never gets above about 60 so it makes a pretty good wine cellar.

My dream house will have a full wine cellar, well stocked (I can dream, right?). But if I didn't have that room, I would probably purchase one of those storage units.

[bleedingheart]

49. I have a cold cellar but it actually gets warm in the summer

not sure how warm...but I am thinking about "weatherizing" it to be a better wine cellar...it does get humid though...and that worries me...

but those fridge units seem kinda nice...

[xchrom]

28. it takes 8 years after the cork has been harvested from a tree

for the tree to be ready to produce enough bark to be harvested again.

other than that -- i'm old fashioned and i want cork.

[Xipe Totec]

36. Because they are only harvested every 8 years,

Cork trees are ideal nesting sites for Spanish imperial eagles:



http://www.bioone.org/bioone/?request=get-document&issn=0273-8570&volume=073&issue=03&page=0298

Thus, by insisting on natural cork, you are helping to preserve a habitat for this species.

[EstimatedProphet]

30. I hate artificial corks

They're a pain to get out of the bottle.

[JVS]

35. Perhaps this could be remedied by an update of corkscrew design

The mechanical ones I prefer are the same as they were before artificial corks showed up, longer levers and stronger screws would help. I like this design but a redesign would help

[lakemonster11]

45. I have a kick-ass corkscrew.

It's a lot like this one:

http://www.costco.com/Browse/Product.aspx?Prodid=11036031&whse=&topnav=&browse=&s=1

I even got it at Costco, but it came in a much less fancy box (and was only about $12). It did come with almost all of those accessories, though. I really like the foil cutter.

[JVS]

48. how does it work on artificial corks

I once opened a bottle of yellow tail with a swiss army knife's screw, the 12 foot high ceiling of my apt got a splash

[Orsino]

33. Steve Martin, in The Muppet Movie...

...as a sommellier with attitude: "Would you like to sniff the cap?"

[NV Whino]

39. All the votes aren't in on synthetic corks as far as I'm concerned

They haven't been tested long enough, and I'm willing to bet that there will be problems down the line. And screw screw caps, I hates 'em.

The cork industry is a sustainable industry and switching to synthetic or screw caps is destroying livelyhoods in Portugal. The main failure with corks is that wineries use cheap corks or cheap composite corks. Wineries that produce premium wines that can be stored for more than 10 years, recork their wines after a certain period of time. With, I might add, premium corks.

And... if you get a "corked" wine, return it.

[SouthoftheBorderPaul]

41. I prefer my wine in a box.

;)

[boobooday]

44. You beat me to it!

Those dispensers are so handy!

:rofl:

[medeak]

46. actually that should be the future...

no oxidation in boxes!

[lakemonster11]

43. I don't really care.

I've never had a problem with a real cork or a synthetic cork, so I don't have any personal dislike of them. I've read some articles about the advantages of screw-tops, but I don't have any experience with them.

For me, pulling out the cork is a pleasant part of the wine-drinking experience, so I guess that's my preference, but I wouldn't turn up my nose at a nice bottle of wine just because it had a screw-top.

[trof]

47. Box Rox.

[Fleshdancer]

50. Real corks can alter the flavor of the wine

From what I've read, it has nothing to do with a shortage. A screw top is least likely to alter the flavor or spoil the wine and its the most cost effective. I read this in some wine magazine a few years back (can't remember which one)and I'm glad I did because I would have a problem with the screw tops if I didn't know why wineries were starting to use them.

What drives me nuts is there are times when I don't pay attention to what I'm doing and I try to de-cork a screw top. Fortunately I've never done this during a dinner party...not my brightest moment. :)

[supernova]

52. Who cares what tops off the bottle?

As long as it keeps the wine fresh, it's all good.

And I arguably have a competent palate. I enjoy shiraz the most. I don't have a wine fridge because well, I think it's pretentious. My wine does fine on my shaded back porch with the cool cement. I have a corkscrew that I am competent with. I haven't corked a bottle in years.

edit: I have an excellent 2003 shiraz out there now that has a screw cap. And it's so delish I bought the rest of the bottles the store had, which was five. I've got three left.

Those of you whining about screw caps and rubber corks, I bet if I set up a wine tasting with those and real corked bottles, I bet you couldn't tell the difference.