Stelvin in France

The September 30 issue of the Wine Spectator reports that Bordeaux and Burgundy winemakers and negoiants have been secretly experimenting since 1992 with screw caps and are now beginning to release some. Andre Lurton is releaseing several thousand cases of cru classe wines of the 2003 vintage. Even Chateau Margaux has bottled their second label Pavillon Rouge under Stelvin. Negoociant Alex Gambal is putting red and white premier and grand crus from Burgundy on the market. Other Burgundy negociants are testing the waters with small amounts. The decision was sparked by a tasting of a screw capped 1966 Mercurey that indicates the screw cap whispers have been going around France for some time.

Maybe Parker will have to retract his perdiction about the French being unable to change.

Reply to
Bill Loftin
Loading thread data ...

Of course the French can change....they take good cheese and turn it into Roquefort!!

Reply to
Richard Neidich

From good to even better! Anders

"Richard Neidich" skrev i melding news:wq52d.2958$ snipped-for-privacy@newsread3.news.atl.earthlink.net...

Reply to
Anders Tørneskog
Reply to
Richard Neidich

No. They put 24 bottles under stelvin on an experimental basis.

M.

Reply to
Michael Pronay

I asked our guide around Pichon Longueville if there were any plans to change to non-cork closures. She looked at me as if I had three heads. That said, given that chateau guides are generally students who probably don't know what's going on at a decision making level there's not much to read into that.

The rest of the tour was excellent tho'.

Dan

Reply to
Dan Gravell

No. Stelvins will be better.

As Peter Gago (Penfold's chief wine-maker) said, comparing reds after 8 and 9 years under stelvin and cork: "The wines age slightly differently, like wine wines from a cool cellar compared to a normal one." And this is, imnsho, the greatest compliment one can make to screw-caps.

M.

Reply to
Michael Pronay

DrinksForum website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.