Are screwcaps just boring?

There is now debate as to whether screwcap closures are in fact greener than cork. It has been suggested that because the failure rate is much lower than cork (no cork taint) then in fact the screwcap closure avoids wine spoilage and so, even though it consumes more resources to produce in the first place, it is 'greener'. Even leaving aside that barrel taint and cork taint can be exactly the same thing, as these findings generally revolve around quantities of wine that were bottled a decade or more ago (and particularly in the New World where the systems of shipping European corks half way round the world wrapped in plastic were not conducive to high quality outcomes), it is still difficult to draw any firm conclusions. Standards in the cork industry have definitely improved substantially of late and the days of bottling vintage port or Château Lafite under screwcap are still not with us. It is the imperceptibly slow oxidisation that cork allows that reaps such great rewards for the consumer - though clearly without a 100% pass rate. Screwcaps seem to allow change using the oxygen already in the bottle but not anything extra. As with many things it is balancing homogeneity against high (and sometimes low) quality that has us all squabbling.
It is often considered that this variation would not be acceptable for Baked Beans so why should it be for wine? The answer is that Baked Beans in a can would long ago have been deemed to be past their 'use by' date but, subject to the correct storage conditions, should be edible. They are unlikely to improve in quality however. Baked beans in a vacuum sealed glass jar should taste pretty much the same as on the day of production as long as the jar seal remained completely secure. Here wine has an advantage, because not only is it usually in an inert glass container but also contains alcohol as an antiseptic and preservative - so the seal to its 'glass jar' can be less secure. Subject to the correct storage conditions many cork sealed wines will get better. Not a certainty of course - they may just change, but with a judicious choice of raw material 'magic' can result. Perhaps then, we should reckon that corked wines are for fun and screwcapped wines are just for drinking?

Chilean supplies back to normal - but not so for Argentina

We are pleased to say that supplies of Chilean Wine are broadly back to normal. Where there are supply problems it is that there is no Mission Peak Red for example until the new vintage. But in the meanwhile Vicuña Cabernet Merlot should be able to take the strain. The same cannot, however, be said of Argentina where delays in analysis for Natamycin in the very limited facilities available locally continue to cause stock shortages in the UK. There appears little prospect at the moment of much improvement in the situation this year and the best advice seems to be to fill your boots when you can get hold of what you require...

The shape of things to come?

In Pennsylvania, as an addition to state controlled liquor shops, wine is now being sold from wine bottle dispensers. These machines not only require your identity and age to be verified before they will supply but also the customer must undergo a breathalyser test before the machine will dispense your choice! Designed to enable people to buy wine in smaller supermarkets it is experimental to start with but allegedly has, so far, been well received...Just blow in this bag.

Organic failure - or success

We are unsure whether to rejoice or to be slightly worried to discover that the European Commission takes a similar view to ours: there is no such thing as organic wine - only wine produced from organically grown grapes. The world of organics is very disappointed (as well it might be) but there really is little excuse for such a wide variation in the requirements of the supervising and approving authorities between - and importantly often within - countries. This really needs to be harmonised first, long before anyone gets near deciding whether, for example, it is correct organic practice or not to ladel in the sulphur during and after making the wine...

The future is egg shaped

An 'environmental' Champagne producer (and no, we don't believe the emphasis should be on the last two syllables) has ordered two large oak casks that are egg shaped. He sees this shape as giving a better fermentation as it "favours natural convection". So far these seem to be unique and are quite a sight!
Still, at least there is somebody who doesn't see the future as pear shaped.

Natamycin in Argentinean Wines

This problem - if such it is - relates to a chemical which is widely used in the dairy industry in tiny quantities as a mould suppressant on cheese. Under EU rules because natamycin is not permitted in wine it is therefore illegal. (It is not legal in winemaking in Argentina either!) A new German system of analysis first spotted it and ever since Argentinean shipments have been delayed trying to get the only laboratory in Argentina with the capability of such analysis to certify that there is no natamycin in the wine... The most likely source of contamination is, it seems, oak chips where small quantities may have been used by a supplier to ensure the chips remain biologically 'clean'. Meanwhile all Argentinean wines destined for the EU are subject to lengthy shipping delays. Hence please understand that our stock levels do not currently accord well with demand...

Top Spot

Champagne Heidseick Monopole has, it is alleged, complained to the tiny Old Dairy brewery in Kent about an infringement of the trade mark 'Red Top' - which seems an entirely appropriate name for a beer from an old dairy, yet also seems to indicate a remarkable lack of confidence by the Champagne company in their own product. Is it really something that would get confused with beer? It is true that the champagne is now part of the Remy Cointreau empire, but even so surely noone is going to confuse Champagne Charlie - or are they?