An exciting new body of research carried out by closures firms reveals that different wine styles are strongly suited to different closure types, depending on the phenolic composition of the wine.
With each wine expression being as unique as a fingerprint, so is its closure requirement.
The findings could call into question any notions of superiority/inferiority when it comes to closure type. For example, the idea that all fine or aged wines must be sealed under cork. Instead, in future the focus is likely to pivot to which closure is best suited for a particular expression of wine and its chemical make-up.
Portugal’s MA Silva, one of several closures companies investing in such research, has analysed a record-breaking 1,000 chemical compounds in wine (the previous ceiling for research was around 150 compounds) to ascertain how different expressions perform under the influence of different closures.
The ultimate aim of the project, says marketing manager Nuno Silva, is “to be able to adjust the kind of closure to the profile of the wine, with a recommendation as close as possible to the winemaker’s intent”.
Ongoing research by numerous companies suggests that not all fine wines will benefit most from cork, just as not all entry-level wines will benefit most from screwcap. Similarly, those producers who have a preference for natural cork only, may be surprised to discover that for a particular expression of their wine, a micro-agglomerated or technical cork might give better results.
To read the full article, click HERE.