There’s a quiet rebellion arising against the centuries of tradition of sealing fine
wine with corks. "Screw top" is no longer a derisive term for the plonk packaged in jugs from California. Screw caps now adorn a large percentage of the premium wines produced in Australia and New Zealand. In less than four years, the screw cap has become the dominant closure for Aussie and Kiwi bottlings, and this trend is spreading to U.S. winemakers. 

The ‘down under’ uprising has been fueled by exhaustive research that proves that a properly engineered screw closure provides a seal that keeps that ol’ devil oxygen from spoiling the wine within. Bottle makers have developed containers conducive to a foil-wrapped, screwed-on seal.  This development may hasten the demise of the corkscrew industry and certainly appeals
to the rookie wine consumer. It will also become a challenge for restaurant
sommeliers schooled in the fine art of enchanting dining patrons with the cork
withdrawal ceremony.

Natural cork has a history, originating in Europe, of almost three centuries of
preserving bottled wine. It also takes the blame for "off" flavors sometimes caused by oxidation of the contents, often referred to as a "corked" wine. We have personally sampled a number of premium bottlings sealed with a screw top and have found the flavor and aroma nuances of the contents
well-preserved by this type of closure.

We also endorse the testaments of Randall Grahm, innovative owner of California’s Bonny Doon Vineyards. Dedicated to coining creative names and imaginative blends, Grahm declares that screw caps allow wines to age better than do corks. Grahm tells us that "Americans are perhaps more insecure about issues of perceived ‘status’ than Kiwis...we were taught that screw caps signified something low class, that proper wines had to be dry, that ‘real’ wine was red" and so forth. The term "go screw yourself" may become a new and positive adage for winemakers. 

VINE CUTTINGS...Portland is the leading Pinot Noir market in all the USA and applauds the film Sideways which debuted in theaters this spring, even though it was set in the central coast area of California...American wine sales increased this spring by 9.5% over this season in 2004 and imports showed a 10.6% growth...Wine Business Monthly reports that Chardonnay, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon remain the hottest varietals in our marketplace, but Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris and Syrah (or as the Aussies term it, "Shiraz") are coming on strong...Spain is suddenly making major market inroads on our shores, with wines equaling the export output of Australia and Chile in both quality and pricing, thanks to federally supported technology upgrades of both wineries and vineyard practices...and all you red wine aficionados should treat
yourselves to bottlings of Spain’s predominant varietal, Tempranillo.

© 2005 Oregon Magazine