Very interesting article about screwcaps

Basically, that has been my argument all along.

I used the Plumpjack 1997 example and both bottles had aged differently. The cork at the time I opened was good, the Stelvin not as developed.

You can apologize anytime :-)

Dick

I found it rather one sided. It suggests the only problem with screw caps is the higher level of reductive wines then goes on to say that's a wine maker problem not the screw caps problem. Everything else is just lack of marketing. I think there is more to the story than just that.

I felt it was a rather pointed arcticle but that's very common on both sides of this issue.

Andy

I would miss the wine steward pulling the cork, the ceremony is one of the things I enjoy while out dining, imagine the unscrewing of the cap....it would be the end of an era. Besides most restaurants would replace a tainted bottle so TCA isn't an issue with my enjoyment.

Good point!!!!

Probably would reduce wine sales too....

Just think how much $$$$ you will save by not having to pay that wine steward from driving all the way across town to your place, just to open the bottle of wine for you - yes I know - getting that cork out is such a bitch, isn't it ? ;-)))

Oh, you mean you never drink wine at home - only when you have a steward to open the bottle.

It is quite simply Dick - just grab the bottle by the neck - and screw !!!!!

cap....it

One can imagine that it might become an issue with the restaurants and distributors. At some point in time the whole thing might filter down to the point of influencing your enjoyment, yes?

pavane

Ahh, got ya.

Yep, same reason they put parsley on your dinner plate. Nobody eats it but it makes it look better!

I was at a restaurant and the wine steward did his entire routine. A bit different. He cut the foil 2/3's of the way around and flipped back the resulting ring. He then pulled the cork out and inserted it into the foil ring. So the cork was now attached to the side of the bottle. I told him thats pretty neat but all I ever do at home is unscrew the cap and toss it in the garbage.

I have seen the same thing done with the cork in Chapel Hill, NC where my son was in college.

I have tried do>

I eat it.

Jose

Paul, Sorry to disagree-1) corked bottle may be only one in stock or manager doesn't want to gamble on opening the same wine again.

2) The ceremony is great if the waitpersons has a clue to what they are doing. In most cities about 5% of the restaurants have interest in wines. A wine steward is a luxury. For the ill prepared an "Ah-So" is better than a cork screw. A few times I pulled the cork myself after the young waitperson was clearly inept. Last time I did that some fellow diners asked me to open their bottles----I could have pocketed some "tip" money. The funniest was in South Carolina in an Italian bistro which used marinara sauce & had a Ruffino Riserva chianti on their meager list. First the waiter tried & tried to place the screw into the metal capsule--I signaled No. Then the rest of the staff tried(after removing the capsule) and managed to break the cork off. I was ready to use an "Ah-So" if they had one, but by now the manager went looking for an Ah-So when one of the owners interrupted his bowling...it was like a Marx Brothers movie---finally I convinced them to gently push the remaining cork in. The wine was fine & on the house. IIRC it was somewhat over the hill because it was stored at too high a temperature, but still enjoyable.

The only places that know anything about wine service, take reservations weeks in advance and after doing a credit check on you.

A friend of mine, sold some wine to a local Carabbas, and when he made his monthly visit, saw that only screwcapped wines were depleted. When he pointed this out to a manager, he pulled over a few waitpeople, Brandy, Luke and Capricia---they all said it took much time to open wine with a cork so they "pushed" the easy to open wines. My buddy offered he said to take all the wine with cork back in exchange with screw capped wine--the general manager by then was in on the conference and said most of the wines with cork were from Italy and he didn't want run an italian restaurant with nary an Italian wine---this guy was ancient about 30 years old in a staff who just started shaving. The general manager had a brain storm---why not have the salesmen come in and teach wine service & review the features of the wines on the list, Duh????????? So my buddy asked me how I did this when I was ITB---I said quickly because these 20 year olds had real short attention spans.

Me too. Give me a sprig of rosemary on the plate, I'll eat that also. At the Guy Savoy bistro chain they did a trick with a roast chicken and thyme dish, where the plate was served with smoking sprigs of thyme; presumably lit and then extinguished with a plate. The smell was heavenly. But I didn't eat the burnt thyme.

I've often seen the cork/foil trick, as well.

-E

You would too if you were being taught about wine but weren't allowed to drink any.

Jose

What's an Ah-So? Is that a "waiter's friend"? I don't know what it's like in America, but most waiters in a normal restaurant (even BYOs) in Australia know how to pull a cork. I find it hard to believe that you have to go to "serious" restaurants to find someone capable of opening a bottle under cork.

Marcello

"Marcello Fabretti" wrote in news:d2K4g.19049$ snipped-for-privacy@news-server.bigpond.net.au:

My expereince in the USA matches Joe R's only the really good restaurant's have a clue. I have been served "room temp" wine right from the kitchen (near 80 degrees F) Had the cork screw blues described and once in Jupiter Fl. a lovely bottle of Chianti was brought to the table, the young lady took the requred forever to open the bottle, I had to talk her through it, honestly, then she proceeded to pour the wine (They offered large balloon glasses) no time to explain that one pours only a few ounces, she filled both glasses to the brim, smiling all the while and oh so proud of herself for figuring it out. The manager came running but it was too late, glasses were full the wine was fine we didn't really wnat to ruin the otherwise good expereince with more fussing, we were comped some appetizers and all was good.

Somewhere on the Bonny Doon Wine University site is a screaminly funny funny video demonstarting among other things just how elegant the unscrewing process can be made to appear.

You don't really. Most of the lower end restaurants I have been too have staff that can open a bottle of wine. They don't attempt to put on any fancy show and the wine selection is often poor.

An AH-SO is a device with two prongs that go between the cork & the bottle. The operators, rocks the device to & fro until the cork is loosened and can be removed, This device is great for a crumbling or a broken off cork.

I th> > What's an Ah-So? Is that a "waiter's friend"? I don't know what it's like in

I don't think I've ever ordered wine at those restaurants. Their wine list lacks anything of interest to me. Usually choices are limited to White Zin, Chablis and Burgandy and usually they are box wines.

Places like Macaroni Grill or Olive Garden have a few acceptable wines and the staff knows how to open a bottle.

I know the "Italian" chains sometimes have wine made for them in Italy. When I was ITB i had a few wines tasted by a chain who was interested--- I was just regional & lacked the resources if we actually got that far in talks. As it were the PG/Merlot plonk I had was about $20 a case too high for the chain. Gallo with Buona Sera wines blew the hell out of the retail market for indies--my Vigna Dogarina wholesaled for the same as Buona Sera---which meant most merchants preferred the BS with a higher profile.........

By the time Gallo is f>