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Our philosophy is simple. The winemaker knows their wine better than anyone, they know how the wine will evolve in bottle therefore they are best placed to decide what style of clouse is best.
A good closure serves two purposes, it keeps liquid in the bottle and oxygen out. In recent years much publicity has been given to the problem of 'corked' wines. The wine industry estimates that as many as 3% to 7% are corked. Most people are not trained to recognise the smell and taste so only a very small fraction of these bad bottles are ever returned to the shop or sent back at a restaurant.
A 'Corked' wine is a wine that is contaminated with TCA (2,4,6-Trichloroanisole). TCA contamination usually comes from corks but can also come from barrels, other cooperage or even, apparently, from wood within the cellar including walls or beams. There are other causes of bad bottles of wine, but TCA contamination is the primary fault you will find in otherwise well-stored bottles.
Even the smallest amount of TCA can ruin a wine and it comes across as 'musty' aromas and flavours. TCA does not pose a health risk (at least in the levels found in wines), it just imparts the aromas and flavours that are objectionable. Wine is not the only product in which you can find TCA, it can also be found in some teas and water.
A great deal of work continues in the cork industry, as well as at wineries, to develop methods to eliminate corked wine. So far, no completely reliable method has been found which is why some producers are moving to alternative forms of closures. Here we touch on the most common types of closures and explore the pros and cons of each.