Discussing Cork vs. Screwcaps during a Grab Bag Wine Tasting

Discussing Cork vs. Screwcaps during a Grab Bag Wine Tasting – Episode #654

April 7, 2009

Gary Vaynerchuk and Liza “The Wine Chick” Zimmerman taste 3 totally different wines and debate the relative merits of cork and screwcap enclosures.

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Comments on this episode(254) Leave a comment ›

“GV, I really find it hard to believe that screwtop wines flavors are g…” by eharms
“I enjoy the show, and Gary’s always very entertaining. I love the Pet…” by Ben
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Wines tasted in this episode:

2007 Mythic River Sauv BlancGreek White Wine
2006 Bleasdale Langhorne Crossing Shiraz/ CabernetAustralian Red Meritage
2007 Descendientes De Jose Palacios Bierzo PetalosBierzo

Links mentioned in today’s episode.

254 Responses

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October 18, 2009

eharms
GV, I really find it hard to believe that screwtop wines flavors are going into reduction within the first year or even two of being bottled. Wines at around $30 are going under screwcap these days – do you really think the winemakers bottling this stuff are not keeping track of their wine one to two years out? If they were to believe that srewcaps were determental why would they continue to use them? Winemakers view screwtop as a way to consistantly deliver the best product without cork taint. They use this closure on reds that are not inteded to age and for whites. There definatly is a place for cork but when wines are consumed so fast why not. The cost savings is minimal vs cork.
May 15, 2009

Ben
I enjoy the show, and Gary’s always very entertaining. I love the Petalos, and agree it has a lot of interesting things going on. It’s a wine that improves with air, and it’s a masculine wine, very dark and earthy and brooding, but complex and full of vigor and life. It’s terrific–perhaps ideal–with roasted pork. It’s really a wine that takes time to evolve after you open it–another reason I’m a fan of traditional corks. I think this would be a different wine in a screwcap. And that’s from someone who experiences, on average, a corked bottle in every “several dozen” that I open. I would say, over time, over thousands of bottles, I get wine affected by TCA at a rate of at least 3-5 bottles in very hundred. I might go 100 bottles without seeing–though rarely–but then might get 3 out of the next 20. So it’s there, Gary, far more often than you are appreciating. Put aside “my dog’s bigger than yours” mentality, I like corks, like you, for wines I want to evolve, but you are missing some corked bottles if you think it’s only 1 in 2,500 or fewer. You’re way, way, way, off on that my friend. But I like your show.

BEN
May 4, 2009

JayZee
I see that there is a rather divergent opinion on the guest for this show. I had no real problems with the Wine Chick. She spoke her mind. Your opinion may vary. Whatever. I found the discussion on cork vs. screw-tops interesting, but I think Gary was way off on his “1 in 2500″ estimate of corked wine. I don’t think that it is the cork opposition statement of 5-10% or more. I don’t think it is 2%. According to a review of my tasting notes over the years, I have found 5 corked bottles in about 1700 so that is about .2% from my experience in recent years. And, yes, I do drink a lot of 10 year old or more wine.

QOTD: Stupid question – it was trivia rather than opinion. The latter is far more interesting, although at least she was ready with her question and not surprised by the concept.
May 4, 2009

Cellar_Muse
A little late, but the answer of the QOTD is Marula. This fruit is used with some cream in the licquor Amarula. A neighbor of mine brought back a bottle from a business trip to Africa. We love having bottles of liquor from different areas of the globe in the bar.

Love the episode. Keep Crushin it!
April 24, 2009

Dan-o
Great guest. Very knowledgeable.
QOTD – I am not all that interested and, NO, I will not Google it because a) I am not a jerk off, and b) I have better things to do.
April 23, 2009

Andrew W.
Sounds like she’s drinking the cork Kool-Aid. Wasn’t a fan.
While there is some romance to the cork, it isn’t necessary for all wines. A yellow tail that is going to be drank within its first 3 years in the bottle, has no reason to have a cork besides the novelty and romance of the cork.
April 18, 2009

Guy Thornton
In the 90s I had a small winefarm in Wellington, South Africa. I grew grapes for my local co-op and was therefore entitled to an allowance of KWV wines at cheap price.Over the years I bought several hundred cases of small bottles (dumpies), around 250 ml, with screw caps. They were cab, merlot & shiraz. Over the years I drank several of these a day. And about one in ten/fifteen was oxydised which was about what I’d expect for a five year old (as these were) cork-stoppered bottle. So, my empirical opinion is that while screw tops are easier to open, they don’t resolve all problems. In my life I’ve been lucky in that “corked” wines have only rarely come my way. Whereas oxydised are everywhere once the wine gets a few years old.
April 17, 2009

Iúri Almeida
Actually the answer of the QOTD is Marula. This fruit is used with some cream in the licquor Amarula (brand) and others. It is not very good in my opinion…

I didn’t like this “wine chick” she is all about herself! Gary said it right: I think most of the statments that the wine is corked or bretty are attempts of self asurance…

P.S.: Sorry about the bad english, I’m not a native speaker.
April 15, 2009

thefaamakesmedrink
Gary,

I listen to you. Now, where were we…?

Oh yes. I think that Liza ‘The Human Bobblehead’ Zimmerman would be a much better moniker for your guest. I mean, does this woman possess any neck muscles?

One more thing. Why is/was she wearing Bronko Nagurski’s wedding ring around her neck?

Regards,

Mrs. Bronko Nagurski
April 15, 2009

valdezvine
Great show Gary. Judi and yowens had good points about cork tree reduction (I don’t have figures) and people keeping wine too long. I’d probably guess the ratio to be about 1 in 300. But I don’t see it as a cork vs. screwcap issue. How about synthetic corks or cheaters? In my mind screwcaps are a far better option than synthetics for wines I’m going to drink within a couple of years. Flavor reduction in just a few months? I’m no expert, but I find that difficult to believe. If a wine with a cork will have a disticnt difference in flavor over that short of a time, then it may not last long anyway. Again, great stuff!
April 14, 2009

Sonia
Not my favorite guest ever… she didn’t seem to be intersted in expanding palettes, kinda like an anti-Gary.
April 14, 2009

yowens
2% seems high but maybe I’m just drinking a alot of wines that aren’t meant to age and therefore rarely are corked. Or maybe I’m just not good at detecting it. QOTD: Without wikipedia I’m clueless.
April 14, 2009

cyrus
Great episode gary! I love it when you have knowledgeable guests and engage in some serious debate. Finally a guest who knew the that the QOTD was coming. I loved her shout out to Angelo’s in Sonoma, great jerky.

QOTD: don’t know and won’t resort to google.
April 14, 2009

Matt
I was surprised by the 2% corked figure too: it’s been a long time since I had a corked wine. Having said that, sparkling wines are a different thing altogether : my wife drinks a lot of sparkling wine and I’m finding that around one in every 15~20 bottles is so poorly sealed under cork that there is no pop when you open it and the wine is virtually flat when you pour it. The remaining CO2 is enough to keep the wine fresh, but not enough to give it bubbles. I have never found that with good champagne (so maybe they’re using higher quality cork at the top end of the market) but certainly at the cheaper end ($10~20) the figures are way too high — I don’t like having to take wine back to the shop and ask for a replacement and I find I’m doing that a couple of times a month.
April 14, 2009

innA
I would have thought the amount of corked wine would be about 1 in 500.

Worst QOTD of the day ever!
April 13, 2009

peter
Sorry …… I had a bottle with a bad screw top. I noticed it two states later driving) when, looking for something, I felt a wet on the bottle while moving it. The cap was still connected to the neck piece but upon further checking after feeling a wetness, I found that the cap and neck piece would twist around the bottle with minor effort, apparently enough that fluid can leak out. It kinda makes sense. I’m sure the machines clamping these twist caps on have to slowly wear or expand and need adjustment on occasion, due to pressure, heat, wear, etc. anyway, I don’t feel that screwcaps are foolproof.
Peter
April 13, 2009

bob c
Wow, I had to replay that cork issue a few times to understand it…..interesting discussion….
April 13, 2009

DanM
Nice show. Always like when you have guests (nothing about you Gary, just a nice change of pace), especially knowledgeable ones (that eliminates those College Humor guys).

No one can compete with Sasha as a guest though
April 13, 2009

judi
I just got a chance to watch this episode(sorry, too busy) and did anyone
reference the fact that within the past few years, there is a claim that
the cork trees are being decimated worldwide? that is why they are going to
other types of closures for wine….and besides that…2 in every 100 wines
are “corked” or corky….tnat is completely off in my opinion.
April 13, 2009

Carlitos
GARYYY!!!! Was it really news that 2% means 2 in every 100???? You were good at practical math???

That’s too funny!!!

Liza was fun if a bit close minded and pushing only Portuguese wines. A little preconceived mindset. Not liking bretty wines and liking Portugal? Come on! I find in a lot of Portuguese wines the definition of “sheep’s butt”. And that characteristic is what I find appealing in them.

QOTD. Amarula is the trivia answer. She must have been in South Africa recently.
April 12, 2009

victor
Episode #654! Gotta applaud your stamina! Enjoy most shows, but over 12 minutes
before “giving it a whirl”? Little to much conversation – not enough action…
April 12, 2009

Stephen
Great guest. Have her on again.
QOTD: African or Indian elephants?
April 11, 2009

DAveA
did I already post? busy days so took me four days to watch this all. smile. But I did!
Great hostess, she is a good talent!

Foggy Forest. A new term I must find a wine to say THAT! ha.

Good argument over assumed problems with wines. Nice debate.

QOTD: Marula or something like that. it’s yellow.
April 10, 2009

Phil M
Good stuff.. Interestingly enough I was once in Cheers magazine.. There was this contest for making a drink and the one I made was put in the magazine.. lol what a great memory!!
April 10, 2009

Dan Manu
Gary seems like you’ve totally changed tour tune in regard to screw tops!! Each to their own… just thought u were more of a screw top guy that’s all.
PS. Penfolds is planning on changing its premium range to screw top soon, just a thought.