Page 12 - Grapevine NovDec 2020

In The Winery

per 1000 pieces. Screwcap choices include factors sheets is important. Taking the time to match this
like liner choice, finish, decoration and sometimes information with bottle drawings and finish ensures
specific knurling needs that influence their price fit and performance.”
point. Their pricing runs between $85 to $200 per
1000 pieces, depending on those factors.” Put a Cork in It

“Pricing is certainly a factor when choosing clo- Cork is the traditional and most popular choice for
sures, but it’s usually not the only factor,” said wine closures, especially for those wines that age
Bobbi Stebbins, Director of Marketing at Waterloo well. Cork is a natural and sustainable product with
Container Company, a premier supplier of wine an innate ability to swell and form a tight seal with-
bottles, caps, corks and closures to eastern North in the wine bottle neck, thereby only allowing a
America. “It’s important to let your packaging pro- minimal amount of oxygen transfer over extended
vider know upfront what the important determin- periods of time. And now, thanks to modern pro-
ing factors are in your closure choices, including cessing, risk of the dreaded cork taint has virtually
things like recyclability or where products are man- disappeared.
ufactured. Knowing these factors upfront can help
narrow down your closure choices. Manufacturing When it comes to cost, natural cork runs the
processes and standards are not the same from gamut. Punched, or high-grade natural cork, has
product to product or from country to country, so the highest price point, while other options like an
we can filter down your closure options and limit agglomerated natural cork can have the lowest. As
them to the available product options that you will a natural product, cork can have many variations
be proud to have associated with your brand.” that must be accounted for in its use as a closure.

Both Stebbins and Thomas agree that a skilled Synthetic cork is a popular, cost-effective alterna-
and experienced winemaker will usually know what tive. It’s more predictable than natural cork when it
they want in a closure based on their brand charac- comes to performance over the long run. However,
teristics, identity, price point and winery’s bottling it can include petroleum-based ingredients that
equipment. On the other hand, newer crafters may not be sustainable or recyclable and, if left
may have no idea where to begin when faced in the bottle for too long, can impart a detectable
with such a vast selection of closures and options. aroma, according to some wine professionals.
Both Janson Capsule and Waterloo Container offer
experienced, qualified customer service to provide Wine With a Twist
suggestions if needed. Janson Capsules will work
directly with a company’s marketing and purchas- “It’s true that corks are still the most requested
ing departments to find the best closure solutions. closure amongst our customers,” said Stebbins.
Waterloo Container Company employs a closure “But skirted screw caps have jumped from 19% to
specialist to ensure that the products sold will work 36% of our closure sales over the past four years.
well with each other functionally while providing We feel that’s due to the skirted screw caps being
consistency in brand recognition. well suited to the shorter timespan from produc-
tion to consumption of popular East Coast varietals,
Kenny Hall, Waterloo Container’s purchasing and including Rieslings and other sweeter white vari-
closure specialist, told The Grapevine Magazine etals.”
that Waterloo Container offers every type of clo-
sure a winemaker could need, with over 500 SKUs Similar opinions prevail on the West Coast, with
and over 50 million closures in stock. He said when Thomas telling The Grapevine Magazine that,
choosing the appropriate closure for your bottle “Screwcaps are great for spirits but also increas-
and project, attention to detail is critical. “Every ingly popular for white wines like Sauvignon Blanc
closure is designed to fit with a specific bottle finish and the lighter Pinot Noirs. Oregon winemakers are
and product, so referencing closure technical data using them more and more frequently.”

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