Screwcap Wine Seals . A Matter of Good Taste

“The world's wine producers spend a lot of time asking themselves and each other how to persuade more people to drink wine. And yet they continue to sell the vast majority of their production in such a way that it cannot even be opened, let alone consumed, without a special bit of equipment, great patience and dexterity, and acceptance of a considerable failure rate.” Master of Wine Jancis Robinson.

Let’s look at the advantages of the screwcap:

• Total confidence that you will receive wine in premium condition - alive, abounding with flavours and a pleasure to drink.

• No bottle variation - each bottle of a given wine will be just as good as the one before. o Elimination of cork taint and similar mould flavours that can contaminate wines bottled with other closures.

• Dependable cellaring - the elimination of random, premature wine oxidation (seen as rapid ageing, discoloration, loss of fruit flavours and, ultimately, the destruction of the wine), which can occur when other closure types are used.

• And as a bonus, the package is so user friendly. For instance, you can confidently cellar your wines with the bottles standing up. To open a bottle you simply twist the whole capsule to break the seal, and then unscrew the top (no corkscrews to manipulate, no crumbly corks to extract). If you don't finish your wine that night, you can happily reseal the bottle for the next day.

Why are an increasing number of respected, quality-driven wine producers choosing to challenge tradition and present their wines to you under a Screwcap wine seal? 
Because, quite simply, they care about their wines. They are committed to bringing their wines to you in the best possible condition. And we know that the only way to do this confidently is to seal each bottle with a Screwcap wine seal.

What do Screwcap wine seals do that other closures don't?
Screwcap wine seals eliminate the threat of 'cork taint' and premature oxidation. They allow the wine in each bottle to mature and develop its true character, uniformly and naturally, as intended by the winemaker.

Do Screwcap wine seals bring risks of their own?
In short, no. The inert, food-grade polymer at the base of the seal is guaranteed to have no effect on the taste or quality of the wine - ever. This is why many highly respected wineries around the world store their own precious 'library stock' wines under Screwcap wine seals - to ensure that the wines are not at risk of oxidation or taint.

Are Screwcaps suited to early drinking wines only?
Early drinking wines bottled under Screwcap certainly have the advantage of retained freshness and no risk of cork taint spoilage. However, premium wines destined for long term maturation enjoy the added advantage of reduced bottle variation, which might otherwise result from premature oxidation over the years due to cork seals.

Will Screwcap seals allow wine to age?
Yes - the ageing of wine in a bottle is a function of the natural chemical characters in the wine and will occur over time - irrespective of the bottle closure. There is sufficient oxygen in the wine and in the head space to allow the part of development and ageing which requires oxygen to take place. Much of the development takes place anaerobically (i.e.: without oxygen)."

Are Screwcap wine seals here to stay?
Consider the following question, posed by New Zealand's Bob Campbell, Master of Wine: "I have one question for all of the other winemakers who for the time being continue to use corks. If you know that Screwcaps will produce better and more consistent wine than corks, how can you continue to short-change your customers?"

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