Issue link: http://winesandvines.uberflip.com/i/347498
32 W i n e s & V i n e s A U G U s T 2 0 1 4 trials using the Inside range, and several have switched to the newer range. Stelvin screwcaps first gained acceptance for crisp white and rosé wines. "Recently, we have seen an increasing amount of cus- tomers moving their Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and red blend wines to Stelvin, in a variety of price points," Riggs reported. She added that customized decoration— including head and skirt embossing—is drawing new customers to the screwcaps as well. OTR results "in reality depend on the cooperation of neck finish sealing rim quality, sealing head setting and the im- pact of oxygen during the bottling/sealing process in general," said Gisela Cart- wright, COO of Mala Closure Systems USA. "We get tests made continuously by the independent institute Fraunhofer." Saranex remains the most used liner, Cartwright said, "not only because of its price advantages but also for its general suitability and advantages vs. cork and synthetic cork." She added that Saranex' "general suitability" includes freedom from cork taint "and leak-free storage of up to three to four years. It is reasonably priced and can be used for a variety of wines, if applied properly." Screwcap prices do vary due to differ- ences in liners, Cartwright said. Mala's LongCap VIN 30x60 DuR "enables nearly the same rate and even flow of oxygen transmission of Saranex in con- nection with flexibility for long-term hori- zontal storage, transportation, changes in temperature, internal pressure, compensa- tion of faulty bottle finishes, and so on," Cartwright said. There is no additional cost for these closures. Relatively new to the competition is Napa's VinPerfect, purveyor of the Smart- Cap screwcap. VinPerfect founder and Is your bottle standing out in a crowded market? INTUITIVE. EFFECTIVE. DISTINCTIVE. Find an authorized distributor at www.ZORKclosures.com/contact Whatever happened to cork taint? a decade ago "cork taint," derived from TCA (2,4,6- trichloroanisole), was perceived as the major issue with closures within the wine industry. Since then, diligent research and development by natural cork producers has minimized this wine flaw, and the cork industry has invested millions of dollars in research to protect wines from TCA. Research from the University of California, Davis, has confirmed that incidences of "cork taint" have been reduced to between 1% and 2% of all bottles due to production improvements including potential analysis of every natural cork. However, "natural cork is much more variable for OTR," according to enologist Dr. Anita Oberholster of UC Davis. To the non-professional eye, "technical" closures made from natural cork sources present a similar look to natural cork stoppers, while potentially offering advantages in price and more protection from "cork taint," thanks to advanced production processes. There's always room for improvement though—oxygen transmission rates have now risen to the forefront in terms of factors determining closure choices. J.F. C L O S U R E S C L O S U R E S