CORK OR SCREWCAP?
“The soft extraction note of an aged cork being withdrawn
has the true sound of a man opening his heart to his friends. . .
That's if the darn'd thing doesn't crumble into the wine.”
Cork
For centuries, natural cork has been the traditional closure for fine wine, and it remains widely used today. Its association with fine wine is rooted in tradition, craftsmanship, and the long history of cork-sealed bottles aging successfully over many years.
Cork is also permeable to oxygen, but the traditional idea that cork simply "breathes" and that this oxygen is essential for graceful wine aging is an oversimplification. Modern understanding shows that wine can mature successfully under several different closure systems.
Natural cork does, however, introduce variability. Individual corks can differ in their oxygen-transfer characteristics, and natural cork carries a measurable risk of TCA-related cork taint. Consequently, bottles of the same wine can sometimes develop differently because of the closure itself.
Screwcaps
Modern screwcap systems offer a highly consistent alternative. Selectable different liners are engineered to provide predictable oxygen-transfer characteristics, substantially reducing closure-related variation from bottle to bottle.
Screwcaps also eliminate the risk of cork-derived TCA taint. Many wines sealed under screwcap retain excellent freshness, vibrant fruit character, and a clear expression of the vineyard and winemaking style. Importantly, screwcaps are also capable of supporting long-term wine maturation; they are not simply a solution for young wines.
Because the seal does not depend on maintaining contact with wine, screwcap bottles can generally be stored either upright or on their side. They are also easy to open, can be resealed, and require no corkscrew.
Our Decision
Ultimately, the choice reflects two different approaches to wine closure.
Cork represents tradition, ceremony, and the history of fine wine.
Screwcap represents precision, consistency, and greater control over the closure.
For us, the decision is about giving every bottle the best opportunity to develop as intended. Rather than accepting the natural variability of cork, we choose the consistency and predictability of a modern screwcap.
Bottom Line
Screwcaps give the winemaker greater control and substantially reduce closure-related variation, allowing each bottle to develop more consistently.
For us, preserving the quality of the wine inside the bottle has always been more important than preserving tradition outside it.