The president of a well-known wine company from Burgandy was recently in town. There was a good dose of excitement amongst the wine trade pros and media as we all found our seats at an exclusive tasting, while staff from the companys local importer were quietly doing laps around the room splashing various vintages of Chablis and Pinot Noirs into our glasses.
They poured a host of killer bottles during the tasting, many vintages, nuances and tales, but the part of the event that still resonates with me was when we were tasting a particular Chablis, a crisp style of Chardonnay known for lively acidity and impeccable freshness.
One of the local wine writers asked if they were considering sealing their Chablis in screw-cap any time soon, as every wine they make is sealed with a cork. The response, in more words than I have room for here, was basically No, never.
By the length, tone and vocabulary used in the response, one would think the query had in some way been an insult.
It was disappointing really; most now know that you are much less likely to have a faulted wine, whether due to cork taint or a damaged cork leading to oxidation, if you are using a screw-cap.
Depending on who you talk to, anywhere between two and eight per cent of wines are damaged due to cork issues. Sure, screw-caps arent 100 per cent foolproof. If you leave a case of wine throughout a long, hot day in your car trunk screw-cap or not your wine can spoil.
The jury is still out on the ultra long-term aging benefits of cork versus screw-cap, particularly with reds, but if were talking wine to be consumed within two or three years, particularly livelier, aromatic whites, Id much rather chance that tiny wisp of a sulphur-y smell that occasionally occurs with screw-cap (a reductive note which will dissipate within minutes) than take my chances on a corked bottle as dinners being put on the table.
The old world has a much tougher time breaking with the tradition of cork, and I find it frustrating that that stubbornness doesnt seem to be based on science or logic, simply tradition.
When the man from Burgundy said something like How disappointed would you feel if you just spent $200 on a bottle of wine and it was topped off with a cheap-looking screw-cap? I thought: Not as disappointed as Id be if my $200 bottle of wine was off due a cork issue.
Minutes later, we all took note that the sixth wine out of the twelve we tasted was, you guessed it, corked.
A couple current faves, ready for you to untwist:
Cono Sur 2008 Pinot Noir | Central Valley, Chile| $11.49 | BC Liquor Stores
Youre not going to find a drinkable Pinot Noir anywhere else at this price. Soft and plummy with black cherry, cinnamon and a lick of vanilla. Serve with a touch of a chill on it and pig out on hamburgers or barbecue.
Brocard Montmains Premier Cru Chablis | Burgundy, France| $45 | BC Liquor Stores
The benefits of breaking with tradition! Under screw-cap, this Chardonnay totally sings with lemon curd, snap pea, lime leaf and flinty mineral notes on the crisp finish. Seafood and poultry go best, but a creamy pasta will enjoy its freshness. A special occasion wine that will brighten up any room.
Kurtis Kolt does many wine-related things in Vancouver. Catch him at KurtisKolt.com
