Capping off a Perfect Wine

It seems we were early adopters and have embraced the closures with barely any resistance. You will be happy to know 10 years down the road others have followed.

According to The New Zealand Screwcap Wine Seal Initiative, now a decade old, "90 per cent of New Zealand wine is sealed this way, the eradication of cork and other closures in the local wine industry is on the horizon." And the movement is far bigger than Kiwi producers today.

The New Zealand Screwcap Wine Seal Initiative goes on to report that of the seven billion wine bottles sealed worldwide each year, the number using screwcaps has grown from an estimated 100 million in 2001 to almost three billion in 2010. Of course, there are still some doubting Thomases.

Just this week Harpers Wine & Spirits noted that South African vineyard Klein Constantia is going back to natural cork for its premier white wine Perdeblokke Sauvignon Blanc citing the possibility of unpleasant reductive or sulphide characters in wines that are matured longer in bottle. Hard to believe but to each his own I guess.

The genesis of the modern screwcap began in Australia's Clare Valley where winemakers fed up with the flavour "scalping" effect of cork on their delicately scented rieslings embraced a wine closure study produced by scientists at the Australian Wine Research Institute. In short, it proved screwcaps to be the superior wine seal calling cork "inconsistent when it came to regulating the amount of oxygen into the bottle."

Peter Godden, the Australian Wine Research Institute group manager said, "The biggest issue for any form of cork closure is variability -- the wines sealed with screwcaps were extremely consistent bottle to bottle and no other closure achieved results even similar." "Most of the wines sealed with closures other than screwcap were completely undrinkable; some synthetic corks didn't even last 28 months," he concluded.

It was all that Marlborough, New Zealand producers needed to launch their own research and The New Zealand Screwcap Wine Seal Initiative was formed. As well as championing the screwcap, the group provided an important forum for facilitating the exchange of ideas, opinions and contributions regarding screwcap wine seals and it developed best practice methods in the use, promotion and education of screwcaps. Interestingly, they came up with the "screwcap" moniker to prevent any potential confusion through the use of individual brand names.

The group quickly learned they would have to adjust the way they made wine bottled under screwcap to avoid, among other things, the aforementioned reduction or sulphide problems. Kiwi producers wanted to be sure the rest of the winemaking world got it right when eventually they came around to using screwcaps. Otherwise it wouldn't matter how good the metal closure worked.

Despite a slow start in America, screwcaps are beginning to appear on better California bottles led by early adopter, Randall Grahm, winemaker and founder of Bonny Doon Vineyard.

"The New Zealand Screwcap Wine Seal Initiative has, for some of us, been a sign of intelligent life in lands so very far away," Graham said. "The primary job of the winemaker is to preserve the integrity of the wine and to allow the wine to achieve its greatest potential. For me, screwcaps are the very best technology currently in existence to advance this end."

Amen to that. This week's picks are all bottled under screwcap.

The new Doña Paula Los Cardos Syrah 2009 will grab you with its inviting spicy, coffee, vanilla bean and black cherry nose and peppery, black cherry jam, mocha, liquorice flavours. Ripe and full, but with fine fruit and texture. Best with grilled meats.

The Rudolf Muller Riesling Chardonnay 2009 blend isn't the most famous wine made at Muller but that's not the point. Blending riesling with chardonnay adds another layer of likability to a white wine that sells for less than $13. The nose is fruity but not tart. The palate is soft but not flabby, and has a mix of green apple, mineral and pear skin flavours. A fun wine for sushi and many Chinese and Indian dishes. Sweet value.

Floral, blueberry jam and plums mix with cola and dried herbs to attract you to the Black Chook Shiraz Viognier 2009. Expect bright fruit and balance but a finish that is definitely on the sweet side.

Fat Bastard Chardonnay 2008 is a solid southern French label with a modern twist. Expect a fresh, light, elegant, if slightly sweet, chardonnay on entry with honey, baked pineapple, light lees, lemon peel and mineral flavours. Simple, fruity, versatile easy drinking.

Screwcaps were made for Domaine du Tariquet Sauvignon 2009 from Gascony, France. A delicious style sauvignon-blanc at the bargain price of $15. Expect an exuberant, fresh ripe passion fruit nose with bits of lemons, limes and a hint of asparagus on the palate. The acidity is mild, making it easy-sipping. Great with oysters or clams or serve it with chicken curries and sushi. Top value.

Finally a quintessential screwcap offering: Crios de Susanna Balbo Torrontés 2009 from Salta, Argentina. Owner winemaker Susannah Balbo is the queen of torrontés and her "hand-picked" handmade expression of this spicy, floral, high-altitude white wine is one of the best. Look for a dry, elegant, fresh palate with a bit of fat and plenty of fresh lychees, nectarine skin flavours flecked with ginger