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August 2017 WINES&VINES 31 WINEMAKING wine, and he is thankful for the educational support of programs run by Cornell University, Ohio State University and the University of California, Davis. Benigna's Creek started making wine in 2001 and has grown to an 11,000-case op- eration, selling nearly all its wine direct to consumer. Pennsylvania is friendly to local wineries; they are allowed five tasting rooms and unlimited access to farmer's mar- kets. As a comparison, California allows only two tasting rooms, one of which is at the bonded winery, with no guaranteed farmers market access. When Benigna's Creek started production, it used multiple types of corks and over time had problems with leaking and taint. Cork taint was sometimes subtle, with a loss of fruit flavor even though there was no obvious wet cardboard aroma. For about five years Masser switched to synthetics, which were more consistent but let in too much oxygen. "Wines would peak too early. Wines that won Best of Show or Double Golds at one to two years fell off a cliff at three years. If you are trying to build consumer loyalty, and a con- sumer bought a case, he or she probably will drink most in the first year, but a couple might be saved. If they're consumed at three years, it's not good for the brand," Masser says. The winemaker wanted a closure that could consistently protect the wine for up to five years. Then screwcaps finally took off technically, and with all the good press about them, eventu- ally consumer reaction came around. In 2011 Masser made the decision to spend $100,000 on a screwcap machine, as a mobile wine line isn't an option in his area. Masser has not observed pushback from consumers or the trade. Consumers say they like the convenience and reseal-ability. "It's easy to open, and it doesn't leak. Cork leaks. Synthetics will push (with heat)." Most impor- tantly, "The consumer cares what it tastes like. If you put something in the bottle that tastes good, they will buy it. They are bringing it to a dinner party to share a good wine, which is a bigger reason than fear of embarrassment from the screwcap." Using screwcaps, Masser continues, "defi- nitely changed the way we make wine, and made us better winemakers. We are very con- cerned about oxygen uptake and sulfide com- pounds pre-bottling. It used to be that oxidation at one year would balance out re- ductive notes. With screwcaps, that won't save you." They ditched yeasts that are known to produce hydrogen sulfide and changed to hybrid yeasts designed not to produce it. Avoiding hydrogen sulfide goes back to fer- mentation nutrition. Masser targets a starting level of yeast assimilable nitrogen in the 180- 250 mg/L range, plus trace nutrients. He also uses Fermaid and yeast hulls. Fruit (non-grape) wines add to Masser's closure considerations. Roughly one-third of Beniga Creek's production comes from 100% strawberry, blueberry and other fruit wines, all of which are very popular with consum- ers. Strawberry wine "is the most difficult wine and oxygen-sensitive wine you'll ever have to make," Masser says. "It will go south so quickly." For this wine, "Screwcap has " It used to be that oxidation at one year would balance out reductive notes. With screwcaps, that won't save you." —Rick Masser, Benigna's Creek Vineyard and Winery