About the Author

Kim Drake

Wine Curator

“When a winemaker gets the wine right, it is pure joy, like sipping a wonderfully painted artwork from the Louvre.” These are the words of Kim Drake, Londolozi’s Procurement Manager turned part-time Sommelier. Kim’s love of wine first started developing in 2010, shortly ...

View Kim's profile

7 Comments

on Cork Versus Screw Cap – Put A Cork In It!

Join the conversationJoin the conversation

We don’t have room to keep any wine ten years mor a temperature controlled cellar so screw cap works much of the time. That said, I appreciate watching the sommelier or server skillfully open a nottle with cork.

Kim, I am with you on your comments. I am always concerned with “cork taint” in my restaurant and wine store. I have had quite a few occasions where I have saved special wines for over decade, only to find that the wine had a bad cork! Very sad…

However, that said, I am still fond of the natural cork closure for wines I will age and am willing to take the gamble! I do like the idea of having the screw cap on wines we will enjoy in their youth. It is a cleaner, more consistent closure for everyday drinking wines.

Jill Grady
Guest

I agree Kim, there is just something romantic about popping the cork from a nice bottle of wine over a great dinner.

Chuck
Guest

While I agree with the pleasing aesthetics of corks, I fear their days are numbered when factoring in cost and environmental concerns.

David Winter
Guest

In Australia, we have moved en masse to screw cap. At the very top end (eg Penfolds Grange) cork is still used, but this is now a rarity.
Cork screws are now the norm, accepted by wine makers, critics and (most importantly) drinkers. Taint is now in the past, as is the need to sample the wine! However, some still persist with this process, probably through habit.
And of course there was that infamous statement made by a fellow Aussie when we were visiting Uluru (Ayres Rock) last year who suggested that corkage had been replaced by screwage…and he was being serious!
The rest of us simply get on with the pleasure of enjoying good wine.
Looking forward to finally seeing Londolozi in August!

I love the romantic idea of cork, but prefer a screw top for an easy drinking wine. Interesting post.

Master Tracker

Its worth pointing out that the way to keep a wine with a screw top is on its base and not its side.
As a Luddite I prefer cork but even the best Aussie wines are now screw tops .

Nothing is worse than a corked vintage wine that you have been keeping for years

Connect with Londolozi

Follow Us

One moment...
Anonymous
Be the first to this photo
You and 1 others this photo
q

Filed under
Anonymous
10 April, 2798
+
Add Profile