Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/670021
4 2 V I N E YA R D & W I N E RY M A N A G E M E N T | M a y - J u n e 2 016 w w w. v w m m e d i a . c o m individual cork testing, called NDTech for "non-detectable." "For the first time, there will be a guarantee for natural cork stoppers based on gas chroma- tography, the most sophisticated technology currently available," says Carlos De Jesus, head of marketing and communications at Amorim. "It was the last step in the fight against TCA that the company felt was missing. It's really quite exciting." De Jesus says that, where- as gas chromatography (GC) analyses might previously take 1 5 m i n u t e s , t h e c o m p a n y 's new process could be com - pleted in seconds. "We were able to do something that a lot of people didn't think was pos- sible," he says. ast year brought — and this year will bring — a plethora of new technologies and products to the world of wine closures and capsules. Many are focusing on making them taint free, longer lasting and green- er. Here are some highlights as well as things to look out for in the future. TAINT-FREE NATURAL CORKS S u r e l y t h e m o s t e x c i t i n g development in wine closures this year is the potential for nat- ural corks free from trichloroan- isole (TCA) taint. This year, three companies will be offering high throughput cork testing. Amorim (based in Portugal) has developed a technology for BY SEAN P. SULLIVAN + Many new technologies and products are being released in the closure and capsule world. + Several companies are focusing on offering taint- free natural corks. + Other offerings include twist- off corks, synthetic sparkling wine closures and green cap- sules. + Technology is being used to create "smart closures" that would ensure authenticity of product. AT A GLANCE Top It Off The latest advances in closure and capsule design and manufacturing are high-tech, durable and green. Rivercap's Absolute Green Line (AGL) capsules are carbon neutral and net negative.