The SOMM Journal

February / March 2018

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When it comes to wine closures, we've come a long way. In the prehistoric era, the earliest enophiles capped their earthenware wine jugs with stones, and in ancient times, fired-clay amphora sealed with clay stoppers were used for wine storage and transport. Both methods allowed too much oxygen to enter the vessels, leading to inevitable spoilage. The Egyptians covered natural materials like leaves and reeds in wet clay to create (slightly) more airtight seals, while the Greeks later experimented with rags and wax to close up wine containers. But the practical, wine-loving Romans eventually discovered an even better solution: cork. The impermeable material has had an enviably long run, but there's no reason to believe we've reached the end of wine closures' evolution. Today, there are multiple solutions—screwcaps, glass stop - pers, even canned wines—that provide practical and economic improvements, yet lack the "romance" of seeing a sommelier deftly draw cork from a wine bottle with time-honored style. by David GaDd photos by Alexander Rubin Closing Remarks Three California Winemakers Discuss Why They Use Evolutionary Nomacorc Wine Closures 58 { THE SOMM JOURNAL } FEBRUARY/MARCH 2018

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