Wet dog. Moldy cardboard. Bad wine flavors like these can come from the cork. Are the alternatives any better?
Glass bottles sealed with a cork have been wine’s primary packaging for centuries. With the discovery that a natural chemical compound called TCA (trichloroanisole) was causing musty flavors and that corks could be the culprit, other methods of closure began receiving serious scrutiny. According to Wired Science magazine’s Vince Beiser in his 12/17/07 story “Screwing with Wine” the number sealed with something other than cork now represents about twenty percent of wines sold worldwide, and that number is growing.
TCA in Barrels and Bottling Lines
With the discovery of TCA and the cork firmly believed to be the perpetrator, the hunt was on to fix the problem. Turns out, TCA can also come from wood barrels, bottling lines and multiple other sources within a winery. While corks are clearly susceptible to this problem, they are not the only guilty party. Small comfort to anyone who has poured a bottle of stinky wine down the drain.
Synthetic Corks, Screw Caps and Stoppers
Synthetic corks, screw caps, even glass stoppers are some of the alternatives undergoing intensive scientific research but ultimately it’s the marketplace that decides. In an article by Cyril Penn from Wine Business Monthly dated 4/15/07 entitled "Independent Consumer Research on Closures", the results of formal research among consumers in the US, UK, Australia and France concluded that consumers prefer natural corks, especially in wines over $15. Other closures are viewed as cheaper packaging options and not as a response to tainted corks.
Carbon Footprint
To confuse matters even further, it now appears that natural cork may be the most environmentally friendly choice. In a 2006 report from the WWF (World Wide Fund for Nature) entitled “Cork Screwed?” the claim is made that a huge area of cork forest is under threat from declining use. Cork forests offer both a renewable resource and the ability to absorb greenhouse gasses. Other closures require petroleum to produce them and are not biodegradable.
Which is Best For Aging Botles
Wine, unlike many other food products, can be stored for years before it is consumed. While the vast majority of vino is quickly quaffed, collectors and connoisseurs who cellar wine for long periods demand their investment be protected without reducing unique flavor qualities. Science tells us the way a bottle is sealed has an impact on those flavors but hasn’t reached a definitive conclusion about which closure is best over the long haul.
Screw Cap Doesn`t Mean Cheap Wine
There’s nothing more disappointing than opening an expensive bottle only to find that it smells and tastes like grandma’s attic. Imagine that for every dozen times you bought a gallon of milk, one was rotten. It wouldn’t take long before you’d demand a refund. Wineries and retailers face these complaints every day. The great debate over corks will continue so don’t assume that a screw cap means cheap wine. It may be the way of the future. Then again, better not retire that corkscrew.
