Do wine bottles really need corks?

[Zedtom]

This wine columnist seems to think the screw top wine bottle's time has come.

Wine no-no's:

? Screw caps are for the paper-bag set. Plugging a bottle with a germ-infested piece of tree-bark does not help the wine. It can even ruin it. Support the brave producers who are switching over to screw caps. That is, if you care about the wine in your glass. If you only care about traditional packaging, then you might want to buy your milk from a pail, and your fish wrapped in newspaper.

I think it's a good idea.

Link to article

 

[moshquerade]

No. From what I've read they don't need corks, and screw tops are actually more desirable in keeping the wine fresh.

 

[spidey07]

If you ask any winery which they would prefer, they prefer a screwtop. They keep the cork around for cork sniffing snobs.

That's enough for me. Preferably put it in a box. Even better for the wine.

 

[ColdFusion718]

Originally posted by: spidey07
If you ask any winery which they would prefer, they prefer a screwtop. They keep the cork around for cork sniffing snobs.

That's enough for me. Preferably put it in a box. Even better for the wine.

Hahaha

 

[spidey07]

Originally posted by: ColdFusion718

Originally posted by: spidey07
If you ask any winery which they would prefer, they prefer a screwtop. They keep the cork around for cork sniffing snobs.

That's enough for me. Preferably put it in a box. Even better for the wine.

Hahaha

That's what the master distillers/master tasters always called them.

 

[Juno]

Originally posted by: spidey07
If you ask any winery which they would prefer, they prefer a screwtop. They keep the cork around for cork sniffing snobs.

That's enough for me. Preferably put it in a box. Even better for the wine.

what do snobs benefit from sniffing corks? 😛

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

Originally posted by: spidey07
If you ask any winery which they would prefer, they prefer a screwtop. They keep the cork around for cork sniffing snobs.

That's enough for me. Preferably put it in a box. Even better for the wine.

Wineries prefer screwtops because the bottles are cheaper. A lot of wineries are switching to the high density plastic/foam 'corks' though.

 

[spidey07]

Originally posted by: Juno

Originally posted by: spidey07
If you ask any winery which they would prefer, they prefer a screwtop. They keep the cork around for cork sniffing snobs.

That's enough for me. Preferably put it in a box. Even better for the wine.

what do snobs benefit from sniffing corks? 😛

They suffer SMUG. A deadly disease.

But seriously, a cork adds an element of uncertanty to the wine. Screwcap results in perfect aging, everytime.

 

[biggestmuff]

Originally posted by: Juno

Originally posted by: spidey07
If you ask any winery which they would prefer, they prefer a screwtop. They keep the cork around for cork sniffing snobs.

That's enough for me. Preferably put it in a box. Even better for the wine.

what do snobs benefit from sniffing corks? 😛

Probably the same thing that cork soakers get from soaking corks. 🙂

 

[MagicConch]

wine industry can't thrive as it does without pretinousness like sniffing corks and saying things 'this has a nutty texture with hints of cherries' etc If it just came down to actually drinking wine, all would be lost

 

[Kadarin]

It's amazing how much snobbery goes into the subject of wine.

 

[spidey07]

Originally posted by: MagicConch
wine industry can't thrive as it does without pretinousness like sniffing corks and saying things 'this has a nutty texture with hints of cherries' etc If it just came down to actually drinking wine, all would be lost

Well there is a flavor wheel that you use to describe flavors and this is standardized. Wet Grass is actually one of them.

But you're right, when wine descriptions start using terms like "a hint of daisies grown on the western side of the mountains" it's going overboard.

And I'd argue that with good wines being so cheap they should appeal to the masses rather than the smug sufferers.

 

[daveymark]

If we didn't have corks, what would the cork soakers do?

 

[miri]

Originally posted by: spidey07
If you ask any winery which they would prefer, they prefer a screwtop. They keep the cork around for cork sniffing snobs.

I've opened thousands of bottles of wine, used to wait tables and bartend, and about 10-15% of corks have at least a small amount of mildew rot on them.

And when I opened bottles I did not even give them the cork, I left it on the corkscrew. I did not see any reason why you would want to sniff the cork when you can sniff the wine.

 

[Apex]

Originally posted by: miri

Originally posted by: spidey07
If you ask any winery which they would prefer, they prefer a screwtop. They keep the cork around for cork sniffing snobs.

I've opened thousands of bottles of wine, used to wait tables and bartend, and about 10-15% of corks have at least a small amount of mildew rot on them.

And when I opened bottles I did not even give them the cork, I left it on the corkscrew. I did not see any reason why you would want to sniff the cork when you can sniff the wine.

In a restaurant, your server gives you the cork for 2 very good reasons:

1. So that you can verify it's the right wine & vintage (most vineyards stamp their logo, the line, and year on the corks)
2. To make sure the cork doesn't look like this:

http://www.gotapex.com/images/apex/merryvale2.jpg

 

[d33pt]

Originally posted by: Apex

Originally posted by: miri

Originally posted by: spidey07
If you ask any winery which they would prefer, they prefer a screwtop. They keep the cork around for cork sniffing snobs.

I've opened thousands of bottles of wine, used to wait tables and bartend, and about 10-15% of corks have at least a small amount of mildew rot on them.

And when I opened bottles I did not even give them the cork, I left it on the corkscrew. I did not see any reason why you would want to sniff the cork when you can sniff the wine.

In a restaurant, your server gives you the cork for 2 very good reasons:

1. So that you can verify it's the right wine & vintage (most vineyards stamp their logo, the line, and year on the corks)
2. To make sure the cork doesn't look like this:

http://www.gotapex.com/images/apex/merryvale2.jpg

pardon the ignorance, but what's wrong with that cork?

 

[mugs]

Originally posted by: Juno

Originally posted by: spidey07
If you ask any winery which they would prefer, they prefer a screwtop. They keep the cork around for cork sniffing snobs.

That's enough for me. Preferably put it in a box. Even better for the wine.

what do snobs benefit from sniffing corks? 😛

They get to sniff a cork in a snobbish manner.

 

[Apex]

Originally posted by: d33pt

Originally posted by: Apex

Originally posted by: miri

Originally posted by: spidey07
If you ask any winery which they would prefer, they prefer a screwtop. They keep the cork around for cork sniffing snobs.

I've opened thousands of bottles of wine, used to wait tables and bartend, and about 10-15% of corks have at least a small amount of mildew rot on them.

And when I opened bottles I did not even give them the cork, I left it on the corkscrew. I did not see any reason why you would want to sniff the cork when you can sniff the wine.

In a restaurant, your server gives you the cork for 2 very good reasons:

1. So that you can verify it's the right wine & vintage (most vineyards stamp their logo, the line, and year on the corks)
2. To make sure the cork doesn't look like this:

http://www.gotapex.com/images/apex/merryvale2.jpg

pardon the ignorance, but what's wrong with that cork?

The wine has traveled completely out of the bottle. You can see the stain on the top (outside) of the cork. Because of this, air has gotten in and the taste of the wine was clearly off.

 

[sjwaste]

Screwtop is fine, especially if you're going to store and age. No cork to take care of.

But yeah, the actual enjoyment of wine for what it is seems to be lost in the subculture of "wine snobbery" and I'm beginning to detest it. To me, it shouldn't be technical, it shouldn't even be comparative in a group. It's basically whether or not you enjoy what you're drinking, and leave it at that. Personally, about as technical as I get into it is talking about how great something tastes for the money I spent, I love finding $10 bargains (or less).

It was funny, I was on vacation last summer with my gf and her family. I signed us all up for a wine cruise, and tasted a lot of good stuff, but the sommolier was using all sorts of wine lingo that was driving me up a wall (and everyone else nodding in agreement, like they actually had any idea what he was talking about). My gf's brother leans in and goes "oh man, this guy's a douchebag, what the hell is he talking about?" and I absolutely broke out in tears I was laughing so hard. I was just glad someone else saw the absurdity in describing a chardonnay as "buttery" when it in fact tasted like.. chardonnay to me.

 

[KarmaPolice]

I just recently got into wine...so I am obviously not a snob...but I agree with the idea that corks are not needed. 2 months ago I hated wine and didn't want anything to do with it..I was a beer man and that was that..I love beer with a passion. One day i decided that if I hated beer so much in my early years and now love it, i surely could grow to love wine. I started off drinking bottles and while it felt cool it got quite expensive fast. Now I drink mostly box wine...its taste fine compared to other cheap wines out there and it will last longer with 4 times the quantity. Yeah sitting aroudn with some friends sharing a bottle is a nice novelty but its truely not economical....and I am in college lol

 

[miri]

Originally posted by: Apex
In a restaurant, your server gives you the cork for 2 very good reasons:

1. So that you can verify it's the right wine & vintage (most vineyards stamp their logo, the line, and year on the corks)
2. To make sure the cork doesn't look like this:

http://www.gotapex.com/images/apex/merryvale2.jpg

You let them read the bottle to verify the vintage

As the wine presenter/opener, it is your job to inspect the cork

 

[oogabooga]

I like the cork since I have two really nice wine openers. 🙂 Also I like the opening of a bottle that has a cork.

 

[miri]

Originally posted by: oogabooga
I like the cork since I have two really nice wine openers. 🙂 Also I like the opening of a bottle that has a cork.

what puzzles me is how intricate some of the wine openers are now

i have a double hinged waiters corkscrew and i can uncork a bottle in less than 5 seconds

 

[compnovice]

Originally posted by: KarmaPolice
I just recently got into wine...so I am obviously not a snob...but I agree with the idea that corks are not needed. 2 months ago I hated wine and didn't want anything to do with it..I was a beer man and that was that..I love beer with a passion. One day i decided that if I hated beer so much in my early years and now love it, i surely could grow to love wine. I started off drinking bottles and while it felt cool it got quite expensive fast. Now I drink mostly box wine...its taste fine compared to other cheap wines out there and it will last longer with 4 times the quantity. Yeah sitting aroudn with some friends sharing a bottle is a nice novelty but its truely not economical....and I am in college lol

<-----------noob

What's box wine and where do you get it?

 

[drinkmorejava]

Originally posted by: compnovice

Originally posted by: KarmaPolice
I just recently got into wine...so I am obviously not a snob...but I agree with the idea that corks are not needed. 2 months ago I hated wine and didn't want anything to do with it..I was a beer man and that was that..I love beer with a passion. One day i decided that if I hated beer so much in my early years and now love it, i surely could grow to love wine. I started off drinking bottles and while it felt cool it got quite expensive fast. Now I drink mostly box wine...its taste fine compared to other cheap wines out there and it will last longer with 4 times the quantity. Yeah sitting aroudn with some friends sharing a bottle is a nice novelty but its truely not economical....and I am in college lol

<-----------noob

What's box wine and where do you get it?

mostly inexpensive wines that are put into a bag and transported in a box

do a google image search