I made some basic observations of the bottles and caps/corks used for
different types of bottles. For wine/champagne/sparkling juice:
-The average bottle of wine has a simple cork that requires an opener.
-Jugs of bargain wine usually have wide and tight metal screw caps.
-Some cheap wines have little metal screw caps that are similar to the
ones on large beer bottles.
-Some pop wines have hard screw caps that are similar to the ones on most
liquor bottles.

For liquor:
-Most liquor bottles are sealed with hard plastic screw caps, which seem
to be the tightest and quickest to open and close.
-Some liquor bottles are sealed with wooden corks with flat plastic tops
connected to them.
-Other liquor bottles are sealed with flexible metal screw caps that can
be more difficult to tighten and/or align properly.

Questions:

Is a specific type of cap more efficient than a good cork?

Why isn't one type of cork/cap used as a standard for bottles that contain
non-carbonated beverages? (Are the different styles of caps and corks used
for purposes other than cutting costs or marketing?)

> Questions:
>
> Is a specific type of cap more efficient than a good cork?
>
> Why isn't one type of cork/cap used as a standard for bottles that contain
> non-carbonated beverages? (Are the different styles of caps and corks used
> for purposes other than cutting costs or marketing?)

The chances of you getting an answer versus an opinion are pretty
slim... There is a lot of info out there on one closure versus
another and the actual intent of the closure has a lot to do with it.
Most wines are made to be consumed within less than a year of bottling
and for that purpose almost any closure that excludes oxygen is
fine.

If you are looking for a closure that will keep a wine for over 5
years only the higher quality natural corks have proven that
capability but even that is not without risk. Even the finest cork
will fail over time and typically those corks are replaced every 20
years. (These are premium corks.)

The risk of cork taint is real but methods exist to minimize that
risk. A need for a closure of that quality applies to truly fine
wines which most people don't have access to anyways.

I don't make fine wines, I make good wines. That gives me a lot of
options. I have wines that are close to 10 years old under natural
corks and they are very good. I have also tasted wines that tasted
closer to wet cardboard under corks for less than 2 years that looked
and felt similar to the 10 year old wines. Nothing is more
infuriating that a corked bottle you worked hard on. I use mostly
synthetic now and don't have any that are older than 4 years at this
point.

Plastic screw caps are not considered a true oxygen barrier to my
knowledge, the machine applied aluminum caps are considered superior.
Most synthetic 'corks' are not expected to protect a wine past 3 years
to my understanding.

And all of this is not an answer, just my opinion...

Joe

Similar consideration as to why people wear different types of clothes
instead of a standard uniform. Preferences and functional needs vary.

Gene


Wine Enthusiast wrote:
> I made some basic observations of the bottles and caps/corks used for
> different types of bottles. For wine/champagne/sparkling juice:
> -The average bottle of wine has a simple cork that requires an opener.
> -Jugs of bargain wine usually have wide and tight metal screw caps.
> -Some cheap wines have little metal screw caps that are similar to the
> ones on large beer bottles.
> -Some pop wines have hard screw caps that are similar to the ones on
> most liquor bottles.
>
> For liquor:
> -Most liquor bottles are sealed with hard plastic screw caps, which seem
> to be the tightest and quickest to open and close.
> -Some liquor bottles are sealed with wooden corks with flat plastic tops
> connected to them.
> -Other liquor bottles are sealed with flexible metal screw caps that can
> be more difficult to tighten and/or align properly.
>
> Questions:
>
> Is a specific type of cap more efficient than a good cork?
>
> Why isn't one type of cork/cap used as a standard for bottles that
> contain non-carbonated beverages? (Are the different styles of caps and
> corks used for purposes other than cutting costs or marketing?)

A lot is governed by economics, purpose, and tradition.

You can argue for or against natural vs. synthetic corks but that was not
your question as I understood it.

Screw caps are being used more in the industry but that goes against
tradition and some do not like it. There are studies that indicate screw
caps are better and cheaper than natural corks and may protect the wine
better. But don't get excited. They are not talking about simple screw on
caps that can be re used or bought. They are talking about screw caps that
are molded onto the bottle. They require a machine that costs 10's of
thousands of dollars so they are not an option for home winemaking.

You mentioned the corks with the plastic caps. They are good for about 6 to
9 months. Some people call them tasting caps as they are used in tasting
rooms to reseal opened bottles. They are easy to take out by hand but do
not protect the wine very well. I also use them occasionally for sample
bottles that I will be drinking a few months after bottling.

There is not a standard as the purpose for the different caps may be
different.

Ray

"Wine Enthusiast" > wrote in message
news
>I made some basic observations of the bottles and caps/corks used for
>different types of bottles. For wine/champagne/sparkling juice:
> -The average bottle of wine has a simple cork that requires an opener.
> -Jugs of bargain wine usually have wide and tight metal screw caps.
> -Some cheap wines have little metal screw caps that are similar to the
> ones on large beer bottles.
> -Some pop wines have hard screw caps that are similar to the ones on most
> liquor bottles.
>
> For liquor:
> -Most liquor bottles are sealed with hard plastic screw caps, which seem
> to be the tightest and quickest to open and close.
> -Some liquor bottles are sealed with wooden corks with flat plastic tops
> connected to them.
> -Other liquor bottles are sealed with flexible metal screw caps that can
> be more difficult to tighten and/or align properly.
>
> Questions:
>
> Is a specific type of cap more efficient than a good cork?
>
> Why isn't one type of cork/cap used as a standard for bottles that contain
> non-carbonated beverages? (Are the different styles of caps and corks used
> for purposes other than cutting costs or marketing?)

I think the standard is rapidly approaching...the Stelvin style
aluminum screw caps. Every year more wineries seem to make the
switch. Some of the wine reviewers are making a big deal of it. I
read that a large retailer in the UK is almost demanding this style of
cap.

On Mon, 29 Jan 2007 23:08:47 -0500, "Wine Enthusiast"
> wrote:

>Why isn't one type of cork/cap used as a standard for bottles that contain
>non-carbonated beverages? (Are the different styles of caps and corks used
>for purposes other than cutting costs or marketing?)

I love this part of the question. Other people have asked why there
isn't a standard design bottle? My response is twofold...

1) Marketing - they want to stand out, be better, whatever
2) Country/region of origin - maybe it is standard there

Steve