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lastdrop LIFTING the LID Patrick Haddock opens up the cork-versus-screw-cap debate. Which closure is better for keeping wine? For many years bottles under a cork closure were revered and respected as the only way to enjoy a premium bottle of wine. For sommeliers, the cork afforded the carefully orchestrated ritual of opening a rare and dusty bottle. Mostly it gave them a bit of theatre because, to be honest, watching someone unscrew a Stelvin screw cap does not make for dramatic viewing. There remains mistrust of the screw cap by many in the world of fine wine, who see it as somehow inferior. However, inferiority is the very opposite to the reason why many Australian wine producers switched their allegiance in the early noughties. No region knows this more than the Hunter Valley, where the occurrence of corked or prematurely oxidised wines was rife in the mid1990s because of inferior cork product that was supplied globally. Subsequently, the Clare Valley put all its riesling under screw cap and the Hunter Valley, tired of losing up to 40 per cent of its product under cork, did the same. So, what are the benefits of using screw caps over cork, and why is the screw cap now seen globally (even top German riesling and white burgundy producers are using the screw cap) as a foolproof way to keep wine fresh? Cork is essentially tree bark, and for many years it has done its job as a wine bottle closure, allowing the egress of a small amount of oxygen so the wine ages with grace. However, cork is fragile. It can break, leak, crumble and turn your precious wine into a lottery; in which case, you might as well pour your money down the drain. Patrick Haddock is a wine and food writer, blogger and communicator. Two of his children sleep in beds, the rest age in a cellar. So, what are the arguments for each type of closure? We prise open the great closure debate. Screw cap advantages • • • • • Ease of opening. No issue with cork taint. Works effectively with red and white wines. Retains freshness and quality and is consistent. Not compulsory to lie the bottle down; it can also be stored upright. Cork advantages There aren't any. Just joking. Maybe it's simply harder to justify the benefits, but here goes: • It keeps the waiter happy as they can invest in the pantomime of the bottle-opening ritual. • It helps the wine to age. The theory has not been proved, but there are many who believe that small amounts of oxygen help the wine to become softer and integrate. Despite the fine-wine industry leaning towards the traditional cork closure, the screw cap certainly has its benefits in terms of preserving wines and preventing wine faults. Wine faults These faults are common to wines under cork. Here are the telltale signs to look for: • Cork taint – the wine appears mouldy because of the presence of 2, 4, 6-trichloroanisole (TCA). • Hydrogen sulfide – the wine smells like rotten eggs. • Oxidisation – the wine has a dull colour, aroma and palate and may seem almost sherry-like. • Volatile acidity (VA) – the wine smells like nail polish remover or vinegar. • Flavour scalping – the fruit notes in the wine are gone. Visit: winingpom.com.au 41