Page 34 - Grapevine May-June 2019
P. 34
In The Winery
Comninos also believes that cans are a great
closure and packaging system for certain types of
wine. “Portability and smaller-serving sizes are very
appealing to a broad range of people. We obviously
will not be canning our higher-end products, but
look for a rosé, off-dry white, and a red [in cans]
from us in late spring or early summer.”
Stamp of Lakewood Cork has seen a definite
uptick in demand for the G-Cap, which is a Stelvin-
type closure.
“While demand for traditional corks has remained
fairly strong for us, we see an increase year-after-
year for this alternative,” Stamp said. “They are
attractively priced when compared to a good quali-
ty cork and provide a consistently perfect seal. They
are available in numerous attractive stock colors,
with optional printing. Many people like the twist-
off convenience these caps offer.”
Mala Closure Systems’ Green said that as with so
many industries in California, there’s been a move-
ment towards recycling and environmental sustain-
ability in the wine closure industry. “I personally
believe, and it is my experience, that this trend
lends itself more to screw caps due to the fact that
aluminum is infinitely recyclable, whereas cork is
not,” Green said. “Corks that go into wine bottles
can only be used once due to potential bacteria
growth and contamination.”
Top Considerations for
Choosing Wine Closures
There are many things to consider before settling
on a new type of closure for your wine, and, fortu-
nately, there are many experienced professionals
on-hand to guide you through the selection pro-
cess.
Stamp of Lakewood Cork said that as a winemak-
er, he chooses his closure based on the type of
wine he is bottling. For example, he leans towards
a straight, natural cork for a wine that will benefit
from extended aging.
“These are more expensive than some other
options, but they have a great track record for pro-
tecting wine while letting it evolve nicely for many
years,” he said.
However, Stamp has found that lower-priced
Page 32 The Grapevine • May - June 2019 877-892-5332
Grapevine Main Pages GV050619_Layout 1-1 .indd 32 4/16/19 12:57 PM
