Screw Cap

There are those who believe that either screw caps are THE way to seal a wine bottle or that oxygen is the ultimate evil against wine.  I am here to tell you that you are wrong, but not in all cases.  Allow me to explain, what brought this posting into being.  I made a bit of Sangiovese in 2008 bottled in 2009.  Some of it was put into a half gallon jug.  Yes, with a tight seal screw cap.  You would think that it could NEVER oxidize.  However, when I poured it yesterday, for the very first time.  It tasted and smelled oxidized.  I have come across this phenomenon before.  It was a commercial wine 750 ml bottle sealed with a Corq (not a misspelling, brand name).  When I bought it, many years ago, it had big course gravelly tannins.  It was the kind of wine that would do well with some aging.  So I did.  After about 8 or 9 years, I opened a bottle.  It too smelled and tasted oxidized.  How could that be?  Corq promised a perfect seal.  As we all should realize wine is a living thing.  It needs some air.  Not too much, but some.  I would say that this is especially true of red wines.  The natural cork has provided this for centuries.  Corq or screw cap does not allow any, or at least not enough, air to enter.  If the wine is to consumed in a short period of time, then it really does not matter.  If you are making wine that can or should have some age, then a closure that breaths is a good idea.  What about other synthetic corks/closures?  I have converted to Nomacork.  The manufacturer states that it does have a certain level of permeability.  Though they do not compare it to a natural cork.  What about white wines?  What should you use to seal your wine bottles?  Right now, I don't know, but I am conducting an experiment in bottle closures that will be presented at the New York State Home Wine Seminar in 2015.  I used four (4) different "corks".  We shall see taste if there is any difference.

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