WTN/Wine Advisor: Cork, screw cap, glass stopper?

[Robin Garr]

Cork, screw cap, glass stopper?

It has been almost a decade now since alternative wine-bottle closures started to gain traction in the marketplace as potential solutions to the enduring problem of musty, moldy "taint" caused by defective natural corks.

The once-maligned metal screwcap has become so widely accepted that only the most recalcitrant wine snobs still resist it; and synthetic plastic stoppers have also found a significant niche, particularly among wines not meant for long aging.

But one particularly elegant solution still remains far enough out on the fringes that I finally encountered my first specimen just the other day: The trademarked "Vino-Lok" closure, developed by Alcoa Co. with support from the German government, is a modern variation on the ancient glass stopper used in old-fashioned apothecary jars.

Made to ensure that the wine in your bottle never encounters anything but pure glass (a plastic liner seals the stopper-to-bottle interface but does not appear to touch the wine), it may be the "cleanest" alternative yet.

At first glance, the bottle of 2006 Schloss Vollrads Rheingau Riesling appeared to be closed with a very short metal screwcap; but a quick turn broke the seal to reveal that the metal cap is there simply to protect the clear glass stopper. As noted, it's very much like an old-time apothecary jar stopper, with a more modern neutral plastic lining to make a tight seal. The stopper pries out easily to reveal a fresh, clean wine untouched by cork.

The wine? Well, it's okay, a decidedly modest Rhine Riesling from an old-line Rheingau producer that's now under the corporate umbrella of giant Schmitt-Sohne. There's nothing wrong with the wine, at least in its 2006 edition, which is simple and fresh, clean fruit nicely shaped by crisp acidity and lightweight alcohol. It may not show the subtle minerality and singing acidity of the fancier Rieslings that make German-wine aficionadoes moan with pleasure, but it's a decent "entry-level" Riesling that offers a benchmark sample of the Rheingau.

For more about Vino-Lok, read the manufacturer's press brochure online at
http://www.vino-lok.de/

Schloss Vollrads 2006 Rheingau Riesling Qualitätswein ($14.99)

Very clear, very pale straw color shows glints of gold. Sealed with a glass "Vino-Lok" apothecary-style closure, its simple but fresh aromas speak of ripe apples and distant wildflowers. On the palate, fresh apple fruit, just off dry with a very slight petillant prickle, is nicely shaped by crisp but not overwhelming acidity and lightweight 10.5% alcohol. Apples and a fresh citrus character linger in a medium finish. Good benchmark Riesling at the entry level. U.S. importer: Schmitt Sohne Inc., Wellersville, Md. (Jan. 6, 2008)

FOOD MATCH: It was perfect with a quick variation on an Alsatian Coq au Riesling, using a bit of the wine with heavy cream in the sauce.

VALUE: No real complaints, although it's a testimony to the times and the strength of the Euro to find a simple Qualitätswein going in the middle teens.

WHEN TO DRINK: Riesling is an ager, but simple Qualitätswein isn't really meant for cellaring. Drink it up fresh, or try keeping a bottle or two under good cellar conditions as an experiment in aging.

WEB LINK:
Here's a short fact sheet featuring Schloss Vollrads, its history and wines:
http://www.schmitt-soehne.com/mainframe.asp?lang=de&e1=652

FIND THIS WINE ONLINE:
Compare prices and locate vendors for Schloss Vollrads Qualitätswein on Wine-Searcher.com:
http://www.wine-searcher.com/find/Vollr ... g_site=WLP

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[David M. Bueker]

Robin,

Three things:

1) Are you sure Vollrads is "under the corporate umbrella" of Schmit-Sohne? I thought they were just the USA importer (as they are for some other estates). I could be wrong.

2) Using HTML for Wine Advisor?

3) Vollrads has its own web site: http://www.schlossvollrads.de/index2_en.html

The once-maligned metal screwcap has become so widely accepted that only the most recalcitrant wine snobs still resist it

I have no objections to the screwcap, but woo-hoo, dems fightin' words!

I think you'll find a lot of folks outside the mighty small world of wine geekdom who still associate screwcaps with low-quality wines or who have a quasi-mystical romance-infused relationship with the pop of a cork that a cracking of a metal seal does not replace. The New Screwcap Order may find the Resistance a more daunting foe than it first appears!

[Robin Garr]

1) Are you sure Vollrads is "under the corporate umbrella" of Schmit-Sohne? I thought they were just the USA importer (as they are for some other estates). I could be wrong.

No, you're probably right. I think the relationship is similar to DaVinci (Italy) or Woodhaven (NZ) with Gallo. The winery is nominally independent, but all US distribution is handled by the importer, who likely also swings considerable weight at the winery. Careless phrasing on my part, though.

2) Using HTML for Wine Advisor?

Don't start me. Next time I'll remember to translate that for the forum. The Email version has to use HTML.

3) Vollrads has its own web site: http://www.schlossvollrads.de/index2_en.html

Thanks! I should have dug harder.

What's your German geek's opinion about Vollrads, by the way? My knee-jerk feeling is that it's slipped a lot in the past 10 years or so, but then, as you know, I don't do a lot of German wine. Still, I thought the 06 QbA was a nice sipper with good Riesling character, if not a show-stopper.

[Robin Garr]

I have no objections to the screwcap, but woo-hoo, dems fightin' words!

Yeah, I know ... I did it deliberately, sort of, hoping to troll up a little debate. Yellow journalism, 21st century style.

I think you'll find a lot of folks outside the mighty small world of wine geekdom who still associate screwcaps with low-quality wines or who have a quasi-mystical romance-infused relationship with the pop of a cork that a cracking of a metal seal does not replace. The New Screwcap Order may find the Resistance a more daunting foe than it first appears!

Might be, but remember, outside the WLDG, you have just described the core of the Wine Advisor readership. I do think attitudes are changing a lot, with increased publicity about the cork, but you're right, the romance of tree bark is enduring. (I freely confess that I still have warm feelings about sound cork.)

[David M. Bueker]

In my opinion Vollrads decline started long before that, and coincided with a general malaise in the Rheingau. Other "great" estates slipped a long way as well, but some of them (Schloss Johannisberg is a great example) have come back with a vengence. Vollrads has not kept up, nor has Schloss Schonborn.

But one particularly elegant solution still remains far enough out on the fringes that I finally encountered my first specimen just the other day: The trademarked "Vino-Lok" closure, developed by Alcoa Co. with support from the German government, is a modern variation on the ancient glass stopper used in old-fashioned apothecary jars.

Made to ensure that the wine in your bottle never encounters anything but pure glass (a plastic liner seals the stopper-to-bottle interface but does not appear to touch the wine), it may be the "cleanest" alternative yet.

At first glance, the bottle of 2006 Schloss Vollrads Rheingau Riesling appeared to be closed with a very short metal screwcap; but a quick turn broke the seal to reveal that the metal cap is there simply to protect the clear glass stopper. As noted, it's very much like an old-time apothecary jar stopper, with a more modern neutral plastic lining to make a tight seal. The stopper pries out easily to reveal a fresh, clean wine untouched by cork.

Robin,

I encountered the glass stopper in wines from two relatively small wineries in Washington's Columbia Gorge AVA. One was in a bottle of Syncline Syrah, and the other was in the COR Cellars ALBA white blend. I recall the young winemaker at COR Cellars telling me these stoppers were pretty expensive compared to other enclosure choices. That will definitely keep rapid adoption from becoming a likelihood.

-- Clark

[David M. Bueker]

But one particularly elegant solution still remains far enough out on the fringes that I finally encountered my first specimen just the other day: The trademarked "Vino-Lok" closure, developed by Alcoa Co. with support from the German government, is a modern variation on the ancient glass stopper used in old-fashioned apothecary jars.

FYi, there are otehr notable producers using Vino-Lok. Kerpen in the Mosel (imported through Skurnik - a Terry Theise selection) has used them from the 2005 vintage, and Salomon from the Kremstal in Austria (another Skurnik/Theise import) also uses them.

Actually, when I added it all up, I bought over 2 cases of 2006 German and Austrian wines with the Vino-Lok closure, and close to 45% of my 2006 vintage purchases were in some form of alternative closure. That's still too low for my comfort, but the number keeps getting higher every year.

Besides many the many German and Austrian producers on-board, Weinbach does a few wines under Vino-lok too (started in 2004 I think), as does Calera on Mt. Harlan in CA (the first I've seen from California, though I'm sure there are others.) I love 'em.

[David M. Bueker]

Besides many the many German and Austrian producers on-board, Weinbach does a few wines under Vino-lok too (started in 2004 I think), as does Calera on Mt. Harlan in CA (the first I've seen from California, though I'm sure there are others.) I love 'em.

2 more to add to my "buy" list.

In my opinion Vollrads decline started long before that, and coincided with a general malaise in the Rheingau. Other "great" estates slipped a long way as well, but some of them (Schloss Johannisberg is a great example) have come back with a vengence. Vollrads has not kept up, nor has Schloss Schonborn.

Schloss Johannisberg is back to its old glory? Woo hoo! I'll have to check this out.

Thanks, David.

-Paul W.

Robin, FWIW, just my 2¢: Of course the wine gets in touch with the plastic ring seal — dont forget, that's what seals are made for! The plastic, however, is in fact PVDC (polyvinylidene chloride), the same material that gets in touch with wine in screw-caps.

As to the cost: The first Austrian grower to start with Vino-Lok glass stoppers was Ruppert Summerer (of Langenlois, Kamptal). His first bottlings being of the 2003 vintage, he converted to 100% Vino-Lok with the 2004 vintage. At the time the cost of Stopper plus bottle (you need special bottles) was €0.51 — not cheap, but not excessive either.

[Robin Garr]

Robin, FWIW, just my 2¢: Of course the wine gets in touch with the plastic ring seal — dont forget, that's what seals are made for! The plastic, however, is in fact PVDC (polyvinylidene chloride), the same material that gets in touch with wine in screw-caps.

On a molecular level, of course you are correct, MIchael. Still, observe that the portion of the Vino-Lok stopper that extends down into the bottle and forms the primary interface with the wine is all glass. I expect that only a small amount of wine is able to leak past the fairly tight glass-to-glass environment to reach the plastic liner, as opposed to the Stelvin in which the entire surface of the top of the screwcap is PVDC lined and in constant contact with wine in a bottle stored on its side.

If there were any risk of plastic substances leaching into the wine - a bit of a red herring in any case - I would guess the exposure is much greater in Stelvin. But it's pretty much a non-issue in the real world, don't you think?

Robin, if you take a close look at the stopper, you will see that the plastic ring is about 1 one millimeter thicker than the glass, and that's the part in contact with the wine. I'd say that's slightly more than "molecular level" . . .

If there were any risk of plastic substances leaching into the wine - a bit of a red herring in any case - I would guess the exposure is much greater in Stelvin.

True.

But it's pretty much a non-issue in the real world, don't you think?

Of course!

I like the aesthetics of the vino-lok, but would be concerned about keeping a wine sealed this way too far - plastics generally allow oxygen transmission, and I'd worry that my wines might age prematurely. Would love to see some stats on ox-trans with this closure - have tried contacting Alcoa with no success so far. Michael is right: the seal is the O ring, not the glass.

[David M. Bueker]

Schloss Johannisberg is back to its old glory? Woo hoo! I'll have to check this out.

I wouldn't go quite that far (though the hype-monsters would), but the wines I have tasted from 2004 and 2005 are darned good. I am cellaring some.