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CL OSURE S page 32.) Peter Hladun, director of technical services, says that each cork supplied in this program is individually tested in a "dry soak" method, then sniffed for TCA and other off aromas. (See "Catching All Bad Corks" in the November 2010 issue of Wines & Vines.) The corks are a bit more expensive than others, of course, but the cost is comparatively small for expensive bottles. Portocork president Dustin Mowe says that what the industry really needs is cork-by-cork inspection. Portocork is developing a machine to test each cork before shipping, though it isn't ready for production. "We can't give you a date for when we'll be ready," he said. In the process, single corks pass through a large turnstile into a cup where they are heated nondestructively and bathed by a blast of nitrogen. The gas from each cork is then tested by a chromatograph, which accepts or rejects it. "It's quite high tech, and the results are good, but we can't detect to less than 3 parts per trillion (ppt)," which Mowe says isn't low enough. Trained individuals including some wine critics can detect TCA to 1.5 ppt. "If we can get low enough, we will be committed to 100% testing." The test takes time, but Portocork plans to use multiple parallel chromatographs to im- prove throughput. He expects such a device would first be used for high-end wines and then migrate to lower price segments. P.F. The holy grail: individual cork inspection W hen you absolutely can't have TCA problems—as with very high-end or large-format bottles—Cork Supply offers the DS100 Individual Cork Inspection process (shown on Easier to purify particles Mariella Ganau of Ganau America says the most recent develop- ments are mainly with technical closures that are increasingly replacing alternative closures. "We created an outstanding microgranuled cork called Primo, designed to deliver consistent performance and quality. It is individually molded for greater uniformity and superior appear- ance. Premium cork granules are treated with an innovative technology of high temperature and steam, a continuous evolution of Ganau's TF process. Portocork and other cork suppliers also have developed processes to help clean cork. Portocork's ROSA steam distillation is one example. Dustin Mowe says techni- cal corks can be made virtually free of taints such as TCA because the particles and smaller pieces of cork are easier to purify. Sufficiently heating a larger natural cork to disinfect it distorts the cork. Mowe also says there is no difference in TCA levels between 20-cent and $2 corks. (Continued on page 39) Primo by Ganau WINES & VINES AUGUST 2012 35