Plastic Wine Corks

Plastic Wine Corks

In order to alleviate the problem of cork taint, synthetic cork closures were adopted by some bottlers. The new "plastic" corks are still used by some vintners, but they are not the perfect solution. In fact, they are so sticky, removal from the bottle is difficult and removal from standard corkscrews almost impossible. Wine spoilage is also a problem with plastic corks because they lose elasticity over time, and let in too much air. This causes oxidation of the wine, and often results in formation of acetic acid as described above. In general, the plastic corks decrease the shelf life and may spoil wines that are meant to age longer. The plastic alternative has been a disappointment.

Changing Tradition: Wineries Go to Screw Tops

A 30-month study conducted by Hogue Cellars, a winery in the Columbia Valley region of Washington State, compared synthetic cork, natural cork and a type of screw top called a "Stelvin" cap. Their findings suggest that the screw caps are superior closures to either of the alternatives. Granted, Hogue Cellars is fanatical about the merits of screw caps.

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Another potential problem with corks

Another potential problem with corks is that they occasionally "fail" and let too much air into the bottle over time. For short-term storage, this is not a disaster, and may even impart a pleasant flavor to the wine. In long term storage, this air in the bottle can create vinegar if there is a certain type of bacteria present. It takes many months of exposure to air before the wine actually tastes like vinegar, but the presence of acetic acid does indicate that the wine is spoiled.

So why do wineries still use cork? With such a high percentage of spoilage, it would seem that an alternate form of closure is needed. But corking wine is a very old tradition, and that may be what keeps corks in wine bottles. Also in its favor, cork is a renewable and biodegradable material, unlike plastic or metal.

One other factor may be in play: the romance of the cork. Who doesn't love the pop of the wine cork? The perception has been that fine wines are corked and inexpensive wines use synthetic corks or screw tops. This may be changing.

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TCA is an extremely potent chemical

What's Wrong with a Cork?

For hundreds of years or more, corks have been used to seal wine bottles. It's a tradition. But it is estimated that from 5 to 7% of stored wines are spoiled because of a type of mold that grows on cork. More specifically, the wine is spoiled by a dank, musty-smelling chemical called TCA that is a by-product of the mold. TCA simply spoils the taste of the wine. This condition is called "cork taint," and the bottle is considered "corked."

TCA is an extremely potent chemical, and tiny amounts can ruin a bottle of wine. Some say that 10 billion bottles of wine could be ruined by just one ounce of TCA. As the compound forms, it first takes away the aroma and flavor of the wine, then imparts its own unpleasant properties to the bottle. Experienced wine tasters can detect TCA in concentrations of 1-2 parts per trillion. At 10 parts per trillion, all wine drinkers will notice that the wine smells like a wet dog wearing moldy newspapers. It will taste even worse.

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A Master Sommelier is buying and managing thousands of bottles of wine

A Master Sommelier is buying and managing thousands of bottles of wine starting in the early morning and working with chefs for future menu planning to have the right wines on hand to support all menu items. Not an easy job.

Drinking wine can be enjoyed by everybody. Some people just like to drink a glass of wine and have the feeling that it adds just that special thing to the moment. Others focus on the wine itself and get a great experience from analyzing the wine they are drinking.

People have drunk wine for almost 9000 years. While developing agriculture and building up civilization, wine has been a part of our lives. The Ancient Greeks and Romans even dedicated a god to wine.

We don't know exactly from which vessels wine was consumed in the old days but it has not always been a glass cup. Nowadays wine is hardly drunk from anything else than a wine glass. As many of us simply know, the wine drinking experience is lost when drinking wine out of something else than a real wine glass. Connoisseur or not, the glass you are drinking your wine from can be of great influence to your drinking experience.

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With the requirement of having practical experience

In 2012 there were 11 titles of Master Sommelier bestowed and 7 were in Northern California, 1 in Southern California, 1 in Seattle, 1 in New York, and 1 in Aspen. In my random survey of title holders it appears that virtually all are employed in the restaurant industry. It is important to recognize there are only 129 Master Sommeliers in the US.

With the requirement of having practical experience in the beverage industry, supplemented with the 4 levels of course work, the process to become a MS can be 5 or more years in total and cost $4,000 exclusive of wine purchases.

The job of a Sommelier is to promote wine within a restaurant setting, raise the standards of beverage services, and manage the profitability of the beverage component for a restaurant. Therefore, not all employees of a restaurant wearing a suit and delivering wine to the table are Master Sommeliers. Having gotten to know a great Master Sommelier in Las Vegas, Mr. Kevin Vogt, I have found you can get a lot of wine experiences and information from a Master Sommelier for the simple price of a bottle of wine. Ultimately, they consult with the customer to enhance the customers experience with the total restaurant (food, beverages, and ambience). Actually, wine service can be very complicated, especially when a demanding customer is thrown into the mix.

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The second title of professional status in wine

Today, after 2 years of intense study, the Masters of Wine final exam comprises four-3 hour sessions of questioning on-viticulture, winemaking, wine business and relevant issues confronting the wine business. Part two involves three blind tastings of 12 flights of wines each followed with a written paper on all elements of each of the wines. Finally a 10,000 word dissertation must be delivered and defended before a board.

You will find Masters of Wine to be involved in such areas as wine education, wine imports, and food industry and winery companies.

The second title of professional status in wine is that of Master Sommelier awarded from The Court of Master Sommeliers. The Court of Master Sommeliers was established in 1969 in the UK to encourage improved standards of beverage knowledge and service in hotels and restaurants. Today there are approximately 200 individuals who have earned The Court of Master Sommeliers title, a process that can take 5 years of formal course work and practical service industry experience to complete. Actual course work can be accomplished in a couple of years.

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The Fortified Wine Years

The effects of the 21st Amendment have had a major impact on the history of wine consumption in the U.S. during the 20th and 21st Centuries. Its legacy is a tangle of state and county laws that regulate the production and sale of wine.

The Fortified Wine Years

Immediately after the repeal of Prohibition, wine consumption dropped as Americans had renewed access to spirits and beer. From the repeal of Prohibition to the late 1950s, high-alcohol dessert and fortified wines dominated the market. These were the darkest days of the history of wine production and consumption. Many fortified wines were produced and sold extremely cheaply, and catered to the "misery market". "Winos" drank these overly alcoholic concoctions because they were the cheapest way to get drunk. In the quest for short-term profits, unscrupulous producers stamped a black mark on the history of wine in America.

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