Issue link: http://winesandvines.uberflip.com/i/74666
CO VER S T OR Y Get the Max From Your Capsules Why use stock when updated materials and printing can make your bottles stand out? By Jane Firstenfeld I Looking into wine bottle capsules is like opening a mirrored jewel box sparkling with color, texture and design, as shown in this array from Maverick Enterprises, which makes them in California's North Coast region. n the past decade, the business of wine packaging has evolved dramatically. Most wine is still sold in glass, but a growing vol- ume now arrives on shelves or in glasses in alternative contain- ers: single-serve cups or flasks, pouches, bags with or without boxes, refillable casks for on-premise ser- vice. Bottles are trimmer as wineries shave shipping costs, and shippers, too, are getting greener and more protective, crafted from innovative, sometimes recyclable materials. Screwcaps earned worldwide accep- tance atop young-drinking wines, while the design of the easy-opening closures has grown to mimic more closely the appearance of capsules that traditionally protect and identify wines sealed with natural and synthetic cork. Improved versions of materials and vir- tually unlimited color and ornamentation 24 WINES & VINES AUGUST 2012 choices make capsules another packaging element that's ripe for design creativity and branding to help them stand out on shelves or in wine racks. At the turn of the millennium, capsules often appeared to be an afterthought. "Wineries might have had a lighter color for all their whites, and a darker capsule for all their reds…they now are using varietal- specific colors for each of their varietals," observed Jon Henderson, executive vice president of sales and business development for Maverick Enterprises of Ukiah, Calif. Capsules of every material not only come in a rich color palette, they eas- ily can be adorned on both the neck and bottle top. Our sources estimated, however, that some 20% to 65% of their customers do not take advantage of these potentially valuable options. "I, too, am mystified why so many wineries use stock capsules," said Jeremy Bell, general man- ager of Rivercap USA in Benicia, Calif. "The only reason I can think is that they cannot plan enough ahead of time to be able to customize." Henderson, Bell and experts from other leading capsule providers shared tips to help winemakers take advantage of the rainbow of options with strategic and timely choices. Tin and aluminum Since lead was phased out as the premium capsule material to protect landfills in the 1980s, tin became the topper of choice. Malleable for ease of application and an apt canvas for vivid color, tin remains to- day the prestige capsule for high-end wines. "Artwork, including embossing, can be applied to the top and the side. They are the most expensive capsule," said Steve Galvan, general manager of Ramondin USA in Napa, Calif. TOM LIDEN