Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/744999
w w w. v w m m e d i a . c o m BY JEFF SIEGEL alk to winemakers, and they'll tell you that closures — some 20 years after the first natural cork alternatives became commercially pop- ular — are still an impor- tant topic of conversation. The subject may not be as controversial as it was when Randall Grahm held his legendary funeral for the cork in 2002, but it's still something winemak- ers have strong opinions a b o u t . W e a s k e d f i v e winemakers, from winer- ies of various sizes and dif- ferent parts of the country, to share their thoughts on closures and how they use them in an email round- robin discussion. The consensus? The days of one-cork- fits-all are long gone, it's not unusual for even small producers to use more than one kind of closure, and the definition of "best closure" varies from pro- d u c e r t o p r o d u c e r. I n other words, why not take advantage of the incred- ible variety of closures and the quality and advan- tages each offers? Finally, cork taint is still a signifi- cant influence on closure choice. Says Jon McPherson, t h e m a s t e r w i n e m a k e r at South Coast Winery in Temecula, Calif., "It's all about performance. We wouldn't use any of these corks if they didn't perform the job." O p e n i n g U p A b o u t C l o s u r e s Q u a l i t y, c o s t a n d c o n s u m e r p r e f e r e n c e p l a y i n t o c h o o s i n g t h e b e s t c l o s u r e s . + Cork taint is still a factor when choosing closures. + More expensive wines tend to get more expensive closures. + Producers will work with winemakers to help them find the best option. + Winemakers appreciate the wide range of closure choices. AT A GLANCE 6 2 V I N E YA R D & W I N E RY M A N A G E M E N T | N o v - D e c 2 016