Wine drinkers all discuss one issue probably more than any other – the choice between cork and screwcap. Whilst traditionalists love cork, a method that has served the wine industry for hundreds of years, the modernists (for want of a better phrase) prefer screwcaps for their convenience and the supposed benefit of there being no taint.
Well, at this years International Wine Challenge, tasters discovered that while cork taint is on the decline, screwcap taint is actually a bigger problem than has previously been perceived. A blind tasting of more than 9000 wines showed that 4.4% of the corked wine had been tainted and 2.2% of the screwcapped wine had been damaged. Apparently, damaged screwcapped wine has a build-up of sulphides which gives wine an eggy or oniony taste.
My own preference? Well actually I’m undecided. Cork does have that feel but screwcapped is far easier to open and are far more convenient. I’ll just have to keep drinking both until I make my mind up.
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