For wines, synthetic stoppers and screw tops are not significantly better than traditional corks

While most wines in 750-milliliter bottles have corks in them, the number of bottles that have screw caps is significant.

A few decades ago, screw caps were reserved for the lowliest of wines, and the wine-consuming public assumed any wine that had a screw cap was pedestrian, the sort of stuff fit for a brown paper bag and a nearby gutter.

But back then most wine professionals knew that screw caps had certain advantages over traditional corks, which were susceptible to an invisible mold that had an unpleasant aroma.

Between 2 percent and 10 percent of all wines closed with traditional corks were affected by the mold, called TCA. And solutions were elusive.

At first, many wineries switched to synthetic stoppers. Some looked like traditional corks, while others were colorful. And when they were hastily pulled, the synthetic corks made a popping sound.

But while synthetic corks didn’t develop TCA, some of them were exceedingly difficult to remove from the bottle, and it might take a pair of pliers to unscrew them off of the corkscrew. It took a decade or two, but the producers have figured out how to avoid these problems.

Meanwhile, screw caps were gaining ground. In particular, around 2000, the New Zealand and the Australian wine industries embraced screw caps for many of their wines. Most American and European wineries sat on the sidelines, waiting to see what would happen.

In general, things worked out very well for the screw cap enthusiasts. Today, the best estimates are that almost 15 percent of all wines are finished with screw caps. Even more successful are the synthetics; perhaps more than 30 percent of wines have synthetic corks in them.

At first, I was eager for an alternative to traditional cork and frustrated by the slow pace of the traditional cork industry to end the epidemic of cork taint. When you’ve paid $100 for a very special bottle of wine, saved it for 10 or more years, gathered friends to share that bottle and the only thing you smell is moldy newspaper (that’s what TCA does to wine), well, you’d be angry, too.

But it turns out screw caps weren’t perfect.

They were too good a closure; they sometimes created wines that seemed starved and depleted, or they developed some odd smells of their own. The reason? That tiny bit of oxygen present in the fissures of a traditional cork had a beneficial effect on wines. So, just as those synthetic corks have changed and improved, the screw cap itself had to adapt.

Screw cap producers came up with super-thin liners that allow very tiny amounts of oxygen in. The simple twist and turn of a bottle of Ripple is now the product of amazing research into “gas permeability” and “oxygen ingress.”

It’s not just techno-mumble; the new screw caps mimic the tiny amounts of oxygen that traditional corks allow to seep into a wine, albeit at a glacial pace. For the moment, things look pretty rosy for screw cap producers again. Most in the industry are predicting continued and robust growth. If nothing else, a wine with a screw cap is easier to open and easier to re-close.

Things have changed at the traditional cork factories as well. Even though they haven’t been able to completely wipe out TCA, the incidence is much lower.

Not that I can boast any great scientific studies (well, I could, but none of them seems to agree on anything about TCA), but in my own practice, I probably open or test more than 5,000 bottles of a wine a year. Where once I expected to find a tainted bottle in every case, I’ve now often opened five or six cases of wine before I find a bottle with noticeable TCA.

My attitude has softened. I believe the wine industry has an opportunity — moreover, it has a responsibility — to be as green as possible. The wine business can be extraordinarily green. Responsible water and wastewater usage, no pesticides or herbicides, proper land use, and lighter and less wasteful packaging are areas the wine business is addressing.

Where do traditional corks fit in? They are harvested from century-old cork oak trees (which re-grow their bark repeatedly) in ancient and protected forests, many along the otherwise condominium, hotel and casino-ridden Mediterranean coasts. If the cork industry dries up and is replaced by synthetics and screw caps, those forests don’t stand a chance against the developers. I believe that screw caps and synthetics have their purpose, but I’m not planning to give up on traditional corks anytime soon.

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Wine - Back to classics

You know the feeling - you rush into the supermarket only to stand, staring blankly at the fresh vegetable section, trying to remember what on earth it was you were hurrying in to buy.

While I tried to remember, I amused myself by browsing the wine shelves. Above the eye-level shelves of pinot gris sat a lonely trio of rieslings, so high they were hard to reach.

But reach I did, up to a wine with a line of writing so small that on the label it almost disappeared into the silvery background: "Many wine lovers believe this classic variety is the one that best demonstrates the true potential of New Zealand wine. This riesling is crafted by some of those enthusiasts."

No self-respecting riesling lover would describe the 2009 Montana Reserve Waipara Riesling as being on the riesling ladder's top rung, but it has so much going for it - bone-dry style, freshness that's rare in white wines and pure lime flavours - it puts forward a convincing case for why riesling has exceptional potential in New Zealand.

As I stashed a bottle in my empty basket I moved on to the sauvignon blanc section, still trying to fathom why I was at the supermarket, and another white sprang to mind.Sauvignon blanc is aromatic like riesling, but it does not age as well.

Anyone who has tried to age sauvignon blanc for more than two years knows it loses its fresh fruity zing and turns into something more akin to asparagus in a tin. Patrick Materman, chief winemaker for Pernod Ricard, owners of Montana, hopes to change that by making a sauvignon blanc that does age well for years after it's bottled.

I've been following the fortunes of Icon - the working title of the wine - and although it's early days, I'm impressed. It's a recognisable sauvignon blanc rather than a meaningless style departure, as some Kiwi "savvies" are. And Materman is not alone in trying to increase the ageing qualities of sav.

He and others at Pernod Ricard have made a trial wine and the first commercial release is set down for October 11. If the idea of drinking riesling or ageing sauvignon blanc seems like the vinous equivalent of eyeing up an old-fashioned sedan when there's a perfectly modern Mazda on offer, all I can say is, classic design always wins out over bland reliability.

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Wine Review - Rioja at Tapas Fantasticas

Ask a roomful of wine lovers about rioja, and you find an impressively high level of knowledge. It's Spanish (correct), a specific region (yep), its wines are often red, but occasionally pink or white (good, good), and it's often oaky (top of the class).

And it's always really rich, mature and full-bodied. No, no, no! This is a myth. I rarely encounter a great-big-chunky, in-yer-face red from Rioja, and even the traditional, yellow, heavily oaked whites are rare these days. Fact is, wine from Rioja comes in many styles, and the more modern versions are fresh, young, sprightly, summery.

Think casual dining, tapas, parties, fiestas… And, hurrah, just like that, the popular summer Tapas Fantasticas street party hits London again, from Friday 25th to Sunday 27th June at Potters Fields Park at the foot of Tower Bridge. This free event celebrates rioja wine and tapas, with lots of Spanish winemakers and chefs jetting in to show off their skills.

Expect music, dancing, live cookery demos and a great atmosphere. And loads of wine. Whether you're at the street party or not, this summer be sure to try the new-wave white riojas, unbaked and refreshing. And do sample the well-balanced, dry, fruit-driven rosados. The younger, less oaky, red riojas have a juicy, easy-drinking quality that's appealing with simple red meat dishes, charcuterie and tomato pasta sauce.

I'll be at Tapas Fantasticas on Sunday 27 June, holding seminars about the region (visit the website to book my talks). See you there. Meanwhile, here are three modern, vivacious Rioja wines to conjure up the party atmosphere…

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Good grapes: Tips for choosing wine

There are better ways to select a wine than simply picking the one with a cute animal on the label. If you’re looking to stock your home or bring the right bottle to a dinner party, here are a few things to keep in mind. Go by numbers

Wine experts like Wine Spectator rank wines on a 100-point system. While your tastes may differ, bottles ranked 90 or above are a good bet.

Go global Think beyond Italy, France and California. Newer wine regions across the globe offer excellent wines, often at friendlier prices. Consider Chilean cabernet sauvignon, Australian shiraz, sauvignon blanc from New Zealand or red wines from Argentina.

Keep a record Use a wine journal or wine software to record bottles you loved and hated. Use these notes to guide you on your next wine-buying trip. Seek professional help Wine stores or specialty grocers with a good selection will have a wine expert on staff to help you find interesting bottles and share useful knowledge in the process. Proper storage Heat and light are your two major troublemakers when storing wine. Here are a few simple ways to store your wine at home.

Most wine sellers recommend keeping your bottles in a cool place, like a basement, where the temperature is between 45 and 60 degrees. Wine can be safely stored up to nearly 70 degrees, but this will cause the contents of the bottles to mature faster.

Avoid attics, garages or rooms where the temperature can fluctuate. Keep bottles horizontal. This allows the wine to keep the cork moistened, so it doesn’t dry up and let air into the bottle. Simple wood or metal racks, especially stackable ones, help keep your bottles from rolling around.

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Majestic Wine profits more than double

Profits jumped to £16m in the year to the end of March, up from £7.4m in the same period last year. Majestic shares jumped 4.6pc in early trading. Total sales rose 15.6pc to £233.2m, with sales of fine wines - those costing £20 a bottle or more - rising 22.7pc and representing 5pc of UK store sales, the company said in a statement.

The cost of an average bottle of still wine purchased at Majestic rose to £6.56, compared with £6.35 a year ago. Majestic Wine said its move to a six-bottle minimum purchase from 12 bottles has resulted in a 54,000 increase in the number of customers who made purchases in the past twelve months to 472,000.

Average spend fell 4pc to £129 but the company experienced a 14.6pc jumped in transactions to 1.7m. A final dividend of 7.5p a share will be paid on August 13. This takes the full-year payout up 5.12pc to 10.3p a share. Lay & Wheeler, the fine wine specialist acquire in March last year, contributed £12.4m to sales.

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Throw a summer wine party

When hosting a cocktail or dinner party, a true wine enthusiast will seize the opportunity to taste something new or different. I go a step further. For me, the chance to taste something new or different is the perfect excuse to throw a party.

What I’ve learned from years of wine tasting and party planning is this: If you want to guarantee that your guests will have a great time, then treat them to a professional-style wine tasting. (Yes, I’m assuming that if they’re your guests, they enjoy wine.)

Building an evening around a wine tasting offers all kinds of advantages over a run-of-the mill social. Perhaps most important, it provides focus — something all of your guests can talk about from the moment they arrive. Think of it as a built-in icebreaker.

It also greatly simplifies your planning and preparation. No need to worry about what kind of beer Jack drinks, or whether Jill likes margaritas or Cosmopolitans. And with wine as the main event, you can scale back on the food.

Offer a selection of cheese and pâté, throw in a few loaves of crusty bread, and call it a night. (Better yet, ask each guest to bring an hors d’oeuvre.)

Best of all, a wine tasting can save you money. Yes, you need to buy the wine, but it doesn’t have to be expensive. And just think: no booze, no beer, no need for mixers, and a smorgasbord of nibbles to satisfy every taste.

All you need is a game plan. So let’s get started.

The first question is whether to organize a formal, sit-down event or a more casual tasting around the kitchen counter. The former requires a little extra preparation, some additional equipment and perhaps a few more wines. Let your guests be your guide: Are they casual wine drinkers or full-blown wine geeks like yourself ?

If your group is really into wine, then you might want to make it a sit-down event. If not, then the kitchen counter is probably your best bet.

The big challenge in organizing a sit-down tasting is glassware. Ideally, you want to provide each guest with one glass for each wine. So if you expect a total of 12 people and want to sample six wines, you’d need 72 glasses. No, that doesn’t mean you have to go out and buy 72 glasses. Most party stores rent glassware for less than $1 per stem.

One way of cutting down on the number of glasses is to organize the tasting in flights. Let’s say you want to taste three whites followed by three reds. You can get away with three glasses per person, as long as you pass a pitcher of water between flights so your guests can give the glasses a rinse.

For stand-up tastings, one glass per person is sufficient — so long as you put out a pitcher of water and dump bucket for rinsing. A kitchen sink works just fine, too.

At professional wine tastings, the glasses typically are arranged on a paper placemat printed with a series of circles marking the position of each glass. Inside each circle is the name of the wine to be poured in that glass — or, in the case of a blind tasting, a number indicating the order in which the wines will be tasted. In a blind tasting, the participants don’t know which wines they’re tasting until the very end. Either way, a placemat makes it easier for tasters to remember which wine is which as they alternate between sipping and scribbling their tasting notes.

To make a placemat, arrange your glasses on a blank piece of legal-size paper turned sideways. You can get away with one row across if you have three to four glasses; use two rows for six to eight glasses. Next, take a pen and trace a line around the base of each glass. Finally, write the name of the wine inside the circle. For a blind tasting, write a number in each circle — “No. 1” to “No. 6,” for example. When you’re done, you can make as many copies of the placemat as you need.

In addition to glasses and placemats, each of your guests will need pencil and paper to take notes, a water glass, a napkin and a small plate for bread and cheese or other food. You’ll also want to put out a big pitcher of water for every four to six people, along with a deep bowl or bucket so people can dump after they rinse.

Now all that’s left is picking a theme for your tasting. Unless your guests are major-league wine collectors, I’d recommend a simple theme that illustrates the fundamentals of wine. For example: Start with three white grape varieties (such as Riesling, sauvignon blanc and chardonnay) followed by three red grapes (pinot noir, merlot, Syrah). This will illustrate the basic differences between these so-called noble grapes.

If that seems a little too basic, then try comparing wine regions. In a first flight, you could taste a California chardonnay vs. a white burgundy (made from the same grape) vs. an Australian chardonnay.

Then you could try a California cabernet sauvignon vs. a cabernet-based Bordeaux vs. an Australian cab.

If you’re not sure which European wines match up with which California varietals, ask a local wine merchant — assuming it’s a reputable store with a manager who’s familiar with the inventory. He or she can introduce you to the California counterparts of, say, an Italian Chianti Classico or Spanish rioja (the former is made from the Sangiovese grape, while the latter is primarily tempranillo).

One final note: Because you and your guests will be tasting multiple wines, you want to carefully monitor the size of the pours. For instance, if you’re going to taste through six wines, a series of 2-ounce pours will add up to a half bottle of wine per person. Since a regular bottle contains 24 ounces, figure on 12 servings per bottle.

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Investment worth 3 m euros in Corcova wines

Wines made at Corcova are ready to conquer the domestic market, the specialized shops and restaurants network representing their first target, following an investment of three million euros carried out by businessmen from Romania and France.

'We invested in 2006 nearly three million euros from SAPARD, FADR, but also of equity. We took care of the vineyard and we also rebuilt the cellars having once belonged to Prince Anton Bibescu. We filled 70,000 bottles with wine in 2008 and 150,000 bottles in 2009,' said Serban Damboviceanu, who now owns the Corcova Wine Cellars, along with French businessman Michel Roy.

Out of the 70 hectares of vineyards, 40 are already bearing fruit, and another 15 will be planted.

'We will focus not on quantity, but on quality. We are already present in restaurants and specialized shops, but we intend to enter the supermarkets too with our wines - Cabernet-Sauvignon, Merlot, Chardonnay,' Damboviceanu added.

'When I tasted this wine the first time and I heard it was made at Corcova I remember I thought that the wine was good, but that nobody could be that crazy to invest there, after the land had been ignored so many years. It seems that we need such examples, of pioneers to invest money in wine and to make the best wines,' the president of the National Vine and Wine Employers of Romania, Valeriu Cotea said in his turn.

The wines made at Corcova, a locality in the Mehedinti County (south-western Romania), by Prince Anton Bibescu, assisted by a French oenologist, were famous in Paris. The cellars were being frequented back then by several personalities of the time, and the famous blends such as Corcovelul and Corcovinul, were praised by writers such as Martha Bibescu, Michael Sebastian, and Ion Minulescu.

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European Wine Sales on the Rise

The strong Australian dollar is prompting many wine drinkers to take advantage of cheaper price tags on premium imported wines, according to the latest figures released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS). Figures for the period ending in March this year show that the price of imported wines dropped by about $1 per litre, while white wine imports rose 12.4 percent and red wine imports increased by 8.8 per cent.

Italy, France, Spain, Portugal and Germany were among the countries to experience the greatest increase in imports to Australia. CommSec’s Craig James told the AAP that the benefits of the high Australian dollar were making themselves obvious in the wine market.

“The strength of the Australia dollar has pushed down the price of imported goods and provided a range of Chilean, Argentinean, French, and Italian wine on our market. If you’re a winemaker, certainly there is a lot of pressure on you at the moment, with a high amount of supply, so there is a downward pressure on price, but for consumers it has been happy days,” said James.

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Export wine focus turns to top table

A new Government-backed push into the US aims to build a super premium wine category for the billion-dollar export industry. Economic Development Minister Gerry Brownlee said the wine industry was at a turning point.

As it was starting to produce quite large volumes although small compared with world consumption. Wine exports have soared in value from $125.3 million in 1999 to more than $1 billion.

However, a 39 per cent jump in the 2008 grape harvest to 285,000 tonnes created about 27 million litres of oversupply after years of shortage, helping drive some erosion of wine, grape and land prices.

"It's almost the catch-22 point where can the increased volume you're producing maintain the higher price in the markets that are prepared to pay it," Brownlee said.

"Or do you simply find that too difficult and end up with bargain-basement prices on exceptional quality wine."

The perception of New Zealand wine internationally has remained strong but concerns have been raised about the effect of exporting cheap bulk wine.What we've got to try and do is get into markets where that top quality is appreciated so the bottle price is upwards of the $50 mark and that's what the attempt is all about with regards to the US initiative," Brownlee said.

The Government would contribute $1.2 million over two years matched by a similar amount from the 21 wineries involved in the initiative, which included 58 selected wines.

New Zealand Winegrowers USA had been established to lead the programme and a campaign manager would be appointed to work with wineries' distributors and undertake a programme of collaborative brand and market building.

The project was expected to lead to additional direct sales for those taking part of $50 million by 2015.

"I think that's actually quite conservative," Brownlee said. "The product that we produce is without doubt very much world class."

New Zealand Winegrowers USA chairman Steve Smith said: "We produce fine wines in New Zealand, we believe it's a sector of the market in the USA that remains undeveloped for New Zealand wine, we believe it's a sector of the market that has significant long-term sustainability in terms of creating prestige and all the benefits that come from that," Smith said. "And we think the time is absolutely right to do it." The project would not use traditional marketing routes such as advertising campaigns and massive consumer events, Smith said.

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Wines of the World - Light and silky summer reds

A true red wine drinker is going to drink red all summer long, even in Texas. For many people a compromise on the texture and body of red wine is appropriate when the temperature reaches 100 degrees. Even in hot weather, the heavy, concentrated fruit and oak can be refreshing if you choose a red with the following thoughts in mind.....the grape, the price, and a good wine sales person.

Reds such as Beaujolais, Dolcetto, or Grenache are satisfying as are Sangiovese, Pinot Noir, and Tempranillo. A fresh, lower-priced Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Merlot, or Zinfandel can be surprisingly light and easy to drink in hot weather. Many of these lighter reds are made using less oak, a shorter fermentation, and little bottle aging.

Hahn Monterey Pinot Noir ($12)

Tapena Tempranillo from Spain ($8)

Parducci Sustainable Red Wine ($11 )

McPherson Cellars dbs (Dolcetto, Barbera, Sangiovese) from Texas ($10.99)

Di Majo Norante Sangiovese from Italy ($10.99)

Clayhouse Vineyard Adobe Red ($12.99)

Rex-Goliath California Merlot ($8.99)

Meridian California Cabernet Sauvignon ($10)

ForestVille California Zinfandel ($6)

Kenwood Russian River Valley Pinot Noir ($16)

Crane Lake California Malbec ($4.99)

Fogdog Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir ($35)

Irony Napa Cabernet Sauvignon ($15.99)

Aresti Pinot Noir from Chile ($10.99)

Alamos Malbec Seleccion from Argentina ($20)

Bonny Doon Ca’ del Solo Dolcetto ($22)

Ghost Pines Merlot ($16)

Fat Cat California Pinot Noir ($10)

Alternate serving suggestions are a red wine spritzer with club soda and ice cubes, or a pitcher of sangria made with orange juice, lime juice, sugar syrup, red wine, and ice cubes floating among fresh fruit slices. Try Castello Banfi Rosa Regale if you’re in the mood for a fresh strawberry tasting red wine with spritz.

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Wine Making Kits: Produce the Best Wine at Home

When it comes to revelry and merry making, one drink that is often seen as accompanying such enjoyment is wine. Wine is a very popular drink consumed by almost everyone particularly events that are very important to a person. Though seen by many as a drink only the rich can afford, wine today is consumed by almost everyone across all social categories.

How Wine Is Made

Wine is an alcoholic beverage made by fermenting the juice extracted from grapes. Varieties of yeast are employed, which consume the natural sugar found in grape juice and convert them into alcohol. The result is a delectable drink that is a toast for so many occasions and for so many generations now. The process of wine making is known as vinification. This is a lengthy and delicate process that starts with selecting the right grapes to use in producing the liquor. Generally, vinification is divided into two types: production of still wine, which does not utilize the carbonation process, and sparkling wine, which makes use of the carbonation process.

Develop a Tasty Wine for Everybody

Because the list of occasions that merits the presence of wine is practically endless, there is now a renewed interest on producing the wine at home. Doing so will allow anyone to produce a wine that will suit their tastes. In this aspect, wine making kits are at the forefront to provide everyone the opportunity to become a wine maker. This is because wine making kits are now sold in the same manner that home appliances are.

Common Items in Wine Making Kits

Wine making kits include several items. These include the following:

▪ Fruit wine bases. Fruit wine bases are essentially a certain type wine in concentrated form. All that a budding wine maker needs to do is to add ingredients to it such as water and sugar to produce wine.

▪ Wine enhancers. A concentrated grape juice, they are added to wine before bottling, enhancing the wine's aroma. However, because they may contain fermentable sugars, stabilizers must be added to the mix as well.

▪ Bottles. The proper bottles must be selected to resist the fermenting action of the yeast such as in the case of sparkling wine. A bottle of inferior quality may burst at the pressure exerted.

▪ Racks. The proper racks must be in hand to make sure that the bottled wines will be stored properly and the fermentation process will go on unhampered.

The Benefits Wine Making Kits Bring

Wine making kits benefits everyone in different ways. To some, the most obvious benefit is that they can easily prepare their favorite wine at home, assured that their produce suits their taste. On the other hand, such hobby and passion can also be turned into a profitable business wherein one will supply the local market with wine for the consumption of the locality. Moreover, because the wine is produced at home, they will be a lot cheaper than the ones bought from the local liquor shop.

Buy Wine Making Kits Online

If you are hunting for the complete wine making kits, log on to The Grape and Granary. They have the supplies to satisfy your need in producing great-tasting wines.

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