Screw Capped bottles for Wine

Screw cap bottles work just fine. The Australian wine industry has embraced them and they are becoming more popular in the California wine industry.

I still use the head space recommended for corked bottles. You need some head space so that the bottles don't burst if they get much warmer than when they were bottled. (But that would be bad for the quality of the wine as well.)

Personally, I think that the jury is still out on how well red wines built for aging will do under screw caps. While New Zealand led the world in promoting top quality white wines under screw caps, and the Aussies, and some Californians, are doing so with both reds and whites - I'm not willing tp put a big red under screw caps and hope that they age similarly to under a cork. Young drinking Zins, sure, but not the Syrah and Cab blends.

The bark of the oak trees have been harvest in Portugal for hundred of years. At first the quality was good now renown wine producing companies are reluctant to use corks. Now the competition is fierce. The rarity of good quality corks have driven the major wine producing companies to use aluminums screw caps. Older French wine drinkers are still under the believe that corks is the best thing and are reluctant to buy wine in screw cap bottles. The wine connoisseurs have recognized that newly harvested corks from the old oak trees are not as good as before. They are accepted the aluminums screw caps as an improvement. It is a shocker most of my bottles are for corks. Over a period of five years I have learned that when my wine was not tasting as good, the cork was found to be defective. Conversely, none of the wine stored with aluminums screw cap was found to be of poor taste. My problem is to get new aluminums screw caps and suitable bottles.

... My problem is to get new aluminums

Marie, That is just not going to happen, the aluminum screw caps are machine applied and crimped right on the bottle. That's why it's such a good seal. I'm not aware of a homewinemaking screw-cap machine.

That said, there are two versions of screw caps for winebottles available. One has a normal looking liner, the other has a poly 'dimple' that goes into the bottle forming a higher quality seal from what I have been told. The cost difference is very small, you may want to look for those. I use them on vinegar.

Joe

Here they only screw caps available are made of plastic. I have talk to the representative of a major plastic caps manufacturing company. He stated that the bulk of their business is for the soft drink industries. I am not too comfortable with these ordinary plastic caps. As you have stated the aluminums caps are rolled and crimped on the bottle. Correct me if I am wrong but the principle is the same as making light bulk base socket. May be some retired tools maker will come on will a modified aluminums gimping/rolling die for home bottling use?

Agh! I just cannot get used to the idea of screw caps on a good wine. It really takes the romance out of it. Can you imagine going out to a nice dinner with someone and having the waiter unscrew the top of your wine? Perhaps I should print up some "I will give up my corker when they pry my cold dead fingers from around it." bumber stickers.

I would not be too hasty in condeming cork. Sure, there have been some problems in the past but I think the source of the problem(s) have been identified and probably corrected in most cases. I read a recent article that said srew cap wines contained a higher percentage of sulphur compounds and other reducing compounds compared to corked bottles. Screw top may be good for whites but I don't think the verdict is entirely in on long term storage of reds.

Thanks to Everyone for all you input. I am not a big Red drinker so my plans are with fruit wines, Riesling, and White Zin. Thanks Again!!

All is needed is a tool and die designer to create the tool and China to fabricate it. I am curious to find what's at the patent office already?

I'll buy one and put it on my car!!! smile. I've never put a bumper sticker on my car, but that one... I like. haha.

I get a lot of mileage on a date for knowing how to remove a cork with finesse! I have no idea about which is better, but I can't unscrew a screw top any different than anyone else. smile. haha.

So where does this discussion leave rubber corks for home wine making???

EWWWWWWW.. you want stinky rubber on your wine? EWWWWWW LOLOLOL

Quote: "So where does this discussion leave rubber corks for home wine making???"

Last week when I visited our local w>>>The bark of the oak trees have been harvest in Portugal for hundred of

I have very mixed feelings about 'rubber' corks. Tradititional rubber is cured with a mercaptan type sulfur compound. Won't touch that with a ten foot pole to my wine, and they're loaded with mineral oil to make them soft and pliable. I don't want oil extracted into my wine by the alcohol content of the wine. Synthetic rubber is cured with an organic peroxide compound which i'm ok with for contact with wine, but again, they're loaded with mineral oil. Silicone rubber is ok with wine, but expensive (the Vacuvin stoppers are made of silicone rubber).

Gene

snipped-for-privacy@nb.sympatico.ca wrote:

Quote: "I pay 25-30 cents per real cork for quality corks. I'd be curious what they really are made of." What I am seeing in many supply stores are the Agglomerate corks. The composition and binder agent are not very explicit. Here is information extracted from:

Binders Binding agents will be prepared in compliance with USFDA regulations as seen in Title 21 CFR 175 Subpart B [175.105]. Composition Agglomerate corks must contain a minimum 80% natural cork as measured by weight. Methodology for compliance is being researched I was only able to identify the Agglomerated corks by cutting one in two parts and lapping with a fine grit sand paper. Then using a magnifying glass I saw what could be some cork oak particles bound with I do not know what. From what I gathered premium quality corks are sold to commercial wineries. What appeared to be graded as seconds and below is channelled I do not know where?

Indications are that screw caps work great for commercial wine. Of course that means you need a commercial screwcap machine to put the caps on. The ones that have been shown to work well are ones that form the cap on the bottle rather than just screw it down. I think they run about $20K.

Ray

I was wondering what the 'rubbery' cork-thingies are really made of. I get the winery quality corks... helps to work in a winery

Gene

snipped-for-privacy@nb.sympatico.ca wrote:

It may be a stupid question, I'm very new to this... Aren't commercial wines bulk aged for a while in wooden barrels or huge metal vats before being bottled? If so, might wine made at home then bottled for cellaring with a screw cap before drinking , age a little differently?

fabricate it. I am curious to find what's at

representative of a major plastic caps

soft drink industries. I am not too

aluminums caps are rolled and crimped on the

light bulk base socket. May be some

die for home bottling use?