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CO VER S T OR Y price points, he contended, "is kind of a non-conversation." Tim Keller, CEO of VinPerfect, a new Napa company that this fall will launch a screwcap liner with an oxygen trans- mission rate (OTR) similar to that of an "average" natural bark cork, is a viticul- ture/enology graduate of the University of California, Davis, who since 1998 has made wine in Napa and Sonoma. A long- time fan of screwcaps still trying for the "perfect closure," Keller said, "We have done a lot of market research, and for the most part, the consumer really doesn't care about the closure. Once they learn that the screwcap is there because of wine quality issues—and because corks are actually quite unreliable—they develop a preference for capped wines." MALA's Cartwright commented about continued options available to winemak- ers who go screwcap. "We have a great opportunity to beautify a technically well-accepted piece of packaging, so it can represent the beauty/value/quality of the content. Along with the label, it can make a bottle of wine a piece of art. That might do its service when it comes to pulling customers toward a bottle with a screwcap—persuade them to take the first step, then let the wine do its magic and speak for itself." Must it always be white? Fresh white and rosé wines designed for early consumption are the most obvious ambassadors for screwcaps. However, as Screw Kappa Napa and others have proved, bigger, age-worthy reds can also handle the treatment. "White wines are a no-brainer for most wineries, as the wine is quickly con- sumed," and oxygen transmission is not an issue, according to Catteau at Amcor. "Freshness of aromatics go very well with Stelvin. Most of our customers began with white and rosé, to go later to Pinot Noir or even bigger reds." Catteau noted that Oregon and Washington producers have been more open to the option than those in California. Cartwright seconded the potential: "I do know many high-end wine produc- ers who are using screwcaps on other varietals. Some winemakers tell me they want the wines to remain in taste and in freshness just as they made them." Light wines without barrel age or sur- lie fermentation need very little oxygen, said VinPerfect's Keller. "We think that once screwcaps start working for reds… then you will see the same changeover happen for all varietals. The early adopt- ers will give 'permission' in the market for the rest of the industry to follow suit." Lining up and applying options Stability of taste is largely a function of the screwcap's liner. In New Zealand, Swain said, producers who prefer the island nation's characteristically more reductive style tend to use tin liners. On North America's West Coast, the prefer- ence seems to be for Saranex, which al- lows some oxygen to permeate the bottle. Other options and combinations are available, depending on style and price requirements. Mike Williams, sales direc- tor for Benicia, Calif.-based Cork Supply USA, specified: "We offer Saranex and Sa- ran/tin. In addition, we have three levels of Tri-Ox liners, which are all approved for wine use and offer various oxygen transfer rates (OTR) that fall between the Saranex and Saran/tin levels." "I have always been a fan of screw- caps," said winemaker/inventor Keller. "Despite their current drawbacks, they are the highest quality way to seal a wine bottle, but I hate to have to choose 28 Wines & Vines AUGUsT 201 1