Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/81015
MANAGEMENT MARKET WATCH Twisted Thinking Consumers aren't the ones resistant to screwcaps Tim Teichgraeber cut his teeth in retail wine sales before becoming the wine col- umnist for the Minneapolis Star Tribune. Today he is a contributor to the San Fran- cisco Chronicle, Tasting Panel, Opus Vino and other publications, when he's not working as an entertainment lawyer in San Francisco. he American wine industry's courtship of screwcap closures has been an interesting negotia- tion to watch from this catbird's seat. I've worked in the busi- ness for more than two decades, and from what I've seen, the U.S. wine trade's tepid romance with screwcaps has evolved something like this: Stage 1: Disdain Stage 2: Flirtation Stage 3: A warm embrace Stage 4: Fear of commitment There's no doubt that Ameri- can wineries have come to appre- ciate both the simpl icity and quality-assurance aspects of twist- off closures. Screwcaps are more popular than ever, but there still seems to be a line drawn in the sand: They're fine for white wines and cheap reds intended for early consumption, but don't have a role to play in fine wines or wines for which a more long-term relation- SHORT COURSE Consumer acceptance of screw- caps is higher than ever. Some types of screwcaps allow oxygen ingress comparable to good cork. Studies show that wines can mature consistently and reliably under screwcap. Evidence suggests there should be a place for screwcaps in the cellar as well as the grocery store aisle. WWW.VWM-ONLINE.COM ship is anticipated. We don't want to take screwcaps home to meet the family. Why is that? In countries such as New Zealand and Australia, both of which have similar scientifically minded education programs for winemakers, we've seen screw- caps applied to all wines, not just one-night stands. Somehow Ameri- can producers seem torn between the European traditionalists and the New World adventurers, while in most vinous affairs we've been happy to blaze our own trails. In converting to screwcap closures, the U.S. wine trade is lagging behind the leaders. Frederic Catteau, general man- ager of Stelvin manufacturer Amcor Flexibles in American Can- yon, Calif., pointed out that while the movement toward screwcaps is only 10 years old, global growth of screwcap-finished wines has been dramatic. "Today about 3.5 billion bottles of wine (per year) are finished with screwcaps," he said. "Ten years ago, that was maybe 300 million bottles." Amcor recently opened a new plant in Chile, where Concha y Toro is leading conversion to Stelvin closures in that country. Accord- ing to Catteau, even Constellation Brands' Vincor Canada division is moving quickly to Stelvin closures with many of its wines. NEW ZEALAND MODEL According to Nielsen, U.S. sales of New Zealand wine through the year ending April 28, 2012, are up 21.5% over the previous The growth of New Zealand wine sales in the United States – comprised mainly of screwcap-finished wines – indicates that American consumers are not put off by the closure. Sales of table wine in general over the same period are up about 4.9% These are sales through gro- cery stores and large chains, so let's just agree that these wines are not being hand-sold. With the SEPT - OCT 2012 VINEYARD & WINERY MANAGEMENT 25 year, and by most accounts, those wines are roughly 95% screw- cap-finished, according to David Strada, U.S. marketing manager for New Zealand Winegrowers. Strada cited New Zealand wine sales being up 1,200% over the last decade – evidence, he said, that "the closure is not a problem, and in some cases, it's a posi- tive, both in terms of ease of use and people viewing it as a sign of quality." TIM TEICHGRAEBER