Years ago, I always ensured I had one of those winged (double-handled) corkscrews in the house just in case I had to open the wine. Later, I graduated to the double-hinged corkscrew, used by waiters or sommeliers.
But now, an increasing number of bottles come with screw caps. A 2010 article in the Wall Street Journal cites a report by Nomacorc LLC (a manufacturer of synthetic corks), which estimates 20 percent of wines use synthetic, 11 percent have screw tops and the remainder, cork. These days, it has nothing to do with price or quality, given that Château Margaux and others are investigating ways to seal wines.
Wine had been sealed with corks since the 17th century. The manufacture of bottles (cylinder bottles were molded whereas the onion-shaped earlier bottles were hand blown) enabled storage in bottles (rather than casks) and shipping. Improved corks to prevent leakage led to the need for corkscrews.
Corkscrews worked fine on corks but not so well on synthetics. But why the growth of synthetics and screw tops since the late 1990s? Most articles point to the problem of corked wine (a moldy smell) from cork taint.
Is consumer acceptance of synthetics and screw tops based on snobbery or taste? It’s more impressive to wield a corkscrew than to unscrew a top, but studies show consumers can't distinguish a difference in taste.
Research underway at the University of California (Davis) focuses on the effectiveness of wine closures for various wines. Those results will be published this summer.
Admittedly, now that I have finally mastered the art of uncorking a bottle, I am disappointed not to be able to flaunt this skill. But then I think back on those trips when we pulled out a bottle and glasses only to find no one remembered the corkscrew.
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