Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/101724
FROM THE EDITOR Closures: A Progress Report PHOTO: CATHY TWIGG-BLUMEL It's been almost two years since I talked about trends in stopper- ing wine, and I'm sorry to report that progress has slowed. First the sorta good news: The use of screwcaps, the most eficient and userfriendly of stoppers is increasing, but way too slowly for my taste. I am puzzled as to why. Here we have the most hygienic, eficient and effective method available, and most vintners don't use them. Is it because many vintners still think that Stelvin caps make wines look cheap? I'd rather be sure that the wine I just bought is free of TCA cork taint than have it look nice. And, in fact, I think screwcaps can be very sleeklooking indeed. As an alternative, many wineries opt for cork-like closures. I have a real beef with some of these. I particularly dislike the "1 + 1" cork. You've seen this one, mostly on inexpensive wines. It has a lat disc of real cork at either end and tightly packed agglomeration of cork in between. This center portion is made up of scraps and dust derived from the manufacture of true corks and it is held together by some form of glue. In order to keep up with the endless river of new releases that come to our ofices, I taste 15 or 20 wines every night. My staff sets up the tasting, but when I am ready to taste, I open the bottles myself. I use a Leverpull opener, and I ind that when I get to these agglomerated "corks," the worm has a real problem puncturing them. Because they are so tightly compacted, forcing the screw through one of these babies can be extremely dificult. Yes, I can open then with a waiter's corkscrew, but when you are opening 20 wine bottles, you want to make the task as easy and quick as possible. Yes, it's true: It seems that many fewer bottles suffer from TCA cork taint than a decade ago when the spoilage rate neared 10% on "natural" cork bottles. There is no question that the cork industry got scared and instituted better quality control. Nevertheless, I'm still inding about 2% spoilage. Just last week a spoiled $145 bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon turned up. I was able to call the winery and get another bottle. But what if I'd been a consumer who had laid this bottle down to celebrated the birthday of a beloved child? Imagine my disappointment when I inally opened it. We should not allow such things to happen—ever. It's damaging to the image and credibility of our industry. Come to grips with closures. Either embrace screwcaps (as you should) or ind something that will assure your product will be taint-free and easy to open. 4 / the tasting panel / january 2013 CONTRIBUTORS Joann Arruda is a freelance lifestyle and portrait photographer based in Seattle. Her work is inspired by the good things in life; beautiful places, great food, interesting people and laughing. Jennifer Cossey works as a freelance wine, food and travel journalist, educator and consultant based in Oregon's Willamette Valley. She is a Certiied Sommelier through the Court of Master Sommeliers and a Certiied Specialist of Wine through the Society of Wine Educators. Elizabeth Kate is a freelance writer specializing in wine. A French Wine Scholar, Italian Wine Specialist and Master of Service certiied by the Italian Sommelier Association, Elizabeth completed her WSET Advanced Certiicate with Distinction. She writes for the North American Sommelier Association and was the In-House Wine Consultant to KSFO Radio's "Edible Escapes" in San Francisco. Elizabeth is currently in the WSET Level 4 Diploma program. An avid world traveler, motorcycle-rider and International Food Photographer of the Year nominee, Anne Watson has spent much of her life on the road exploring cities around the globe in search of unique photo opportunities. Anne's interest in gastronomy has led her to combine her enthusiasm for cuisine with her love for photography. She has lived in Los Angeles, Boston, Seattle, Detroit and Atlanta and has traveled throughout North America, Asia, Africa, Australia and Europe. Anne is married to English author Tim Watson. F