Opinions - mandated cork closures for Catalan wines?

12 respuestas
    #1
    andrew_holod

    Opinions - mandated cork closures for Catalan wines?

    Ver mensaje de andrew_holod

    What do you all think about the new mandate in Catalunya that says DO wines must be closed with cork stoppers?

    If you haven’t heard, here is a link http://www.drinks-business-review.com/article_news.asp?guid=9146642B-9A39-40BE-90EA-32E5E7FA8F32

    As far as I’m concerned, conglomerated or manufactured cork is more detrimental to the image of wine than a more modern closure. This closure can still harbor TCA.

    Furtermore, doesn’t it seem a bit incongruous for Catalunya, one of the more forward looking regions in Spain, at least historically due to planting of international grape varieties, use of stainless steel etc., to be looking backward in terms of technology for closures?

    Looking forward to what you all have to say.

    -andrew

    #4
    Paco Higón
    en respuesta a andrew_holod

    Re: Opinions - mandated cork closures for Catalan wines?

    Ver mensaje de andrew_holod

    After looking for information I found that D.O Rueda, Cava, and the 11th Catalonian D.O.s –Alella, Cataluña, Conca de Barberà, Costers del Segre, Empordà-Costa Brava, Montsant, Penedès, Priorat, Pla de Bages, Tarragona y Terra Alta– include in their new regulations the mandatory use of cork (natural or agglomerated) as a closure. Also the regulation of the IGT Vinos de Castellon and the European Council Regulation 1493/99 that regulates de OCM go in similar way.

    I am a firm defender of natural cork but I am not sure about forbidding the use of silicone closures with the cheapest wines (well not only silicone, also screwcaps, crystal caps and so on). I think that we must find the equilibrium between defending the valuable cork industry and the commercial interest of wine firms…. Probably you do not know that cork industry is very important in Catalonia. In addition, I do not agree with you when you say that conglomerated or manufactured cork is more detrimental to the image of wine than modern closures.

    Anyway, probably you will find some more opinions in the Spanish side….

    Cheers

    #5
    WaltZalenski
    en respuesta a andrew_holod

    Re: Opinions - mandated cork closures for Catalan wines?

    Ver mensaje de andrew_holod

    My opinion? I think this issue may have been blown a bit out of proportion. First of all, I understand that in most cases, if one reads the rules carefully, this is stated as a preference rather a requirement and, even in Penedes where the language is tighter, the rules provide for the approval of alternatives. In addition, let us not forget that, unlike some rhetoric that I have seen, this is not a LAW. Nobody is going to prison. This is a DO rule -- with the penalty being that the wine will not be a DO wine. Yes, I certainly understand the argument that a winemaker in Penedes, for example, should be able to choose for himself the closure that he thinks is best for his wine. But guess what? The winemaker might also really think that adding pineapple juice to his wine during vinification is best for his wine. Should the DO allow that too? Of course, the winemaker is free to make pineapple wine and seal it with bat snot and binder twine, for all I care, but I don’t necessarily think he should be entitled to a DO label.

    Spain in general and Catalonia in particular are cork producers. While I am not in favor of economic protectionist rules, I’m not going to be shocked to see vestiges of it most anywhere you turn both in the US and abroad. Would you be outraged to learn that there might be some incentives for Air France to buy Airbus planes rather than Boeing planes?

    The fact is that these new rules only put pressure on producers to do what most producers do anyway. An articulated policy supporting the rule is ";prestige’ -- or the perception of quality. In this regard, those that have adopted the rule almost certainly are correct. What percentage of wine drinkers have ever heard of Trichloroanisole? What would happen, Andrew, here in our home city of Washington if you offered top restaurants the choice of having their most expensive wines sealed with a screwcap or with a cork? You will no doubt make the point that true quality and perception of quality are not the same thing when it comes to cork. Perhaps, but is it not appropriate for the DO to consider perceptions? If not, perhaps the DOs should also certify wine packaged in beer cans too.

    Screwcaps, closures, and bottle ";crowns,"; as they are sometime known in the US packaging industry, were my father’s business -- so I grew up hearing about issues related to quality, longevity, and potential defects. Trust me that defects and problems do occur in this industry. I even recall stories of in-house professional tasters at large beer companies routinely being able to detect taste elements from such closures (despite a shorter shelf life and lower alcohol content relative to wine). I’m neither pro-cork or anti-cork, but I am often amused by the cork-haters’ near religious faith in existing common alternatives.

    #6
    andrew_holod
    en respuesta a WaltZalenski

    Re: Opinions - mandated cork closures for Catalan wines?

    Ver mensaje de WaltZalenski

    Walt,

    I have no issue with the fact that the DO can require producers to use natural or even ";natural"; cork products. I’m not even sure I have a strong opinion one way or the other as I think the closure should match the intent of the wine. Inexpensive, unoaked wine intended for early consumption, I think, would be just as successful if not more so by marketing them toward early and easy consumption. Whereas there is no reason in my mind to use alternative closures for wines that are intended to age, regardless of price.

    My observation was simply to point out that what I thought of as a forward looking area of Spain seems to be circling the wagons. Whether this is a function of the recent newfound acceptance of Catalunya as a nationality and some sense of national pride or politicians run amok I don’t know.

    I do thank you for your passionate opinion and will leave with one more question. Do you think that we might see an increase of VdT wines from Penedes that exceed the boundaries set by DO rules, due to this more stringent regulation?

    #7
    WaltZalenski
    en respuesta a andrew_holod

    Re: Opinions - mandated cork closures for Catalan wines?

    Ver mensaje de andrew_holod

    Do I expect many more VdT wines because of this rule? Although it is speculative on my part, no. First of all, one needs to really strain to come up with many examples of producers that use anything other than cork. Even for a high-volume producer like Torres, where screwcaps are sometimes used, I personally can’t think of an example of a product of theirs that is only available in screwcaps. Overall, I am also not aware of any overwhelming sentiment among winemakers in Catalonia to move to cork alternatives. And if Torres, for example, wanted to bottle a quick-drinking inexpensive fresh white wine with an alternative closure, there is also no particular reason why I would expect the DO regulating counsel not to approve it under the language in the rule that seems to provide for such exceptions.

    Others can speak to this better than I can (and hope they offer their views here), but my guess is that ";politicians"; do not dominate DOs in Spain and that, while DO rules will not make all winemakers happy all of the time, DO rules are broadly representative of the collective sentiment of winemakers in that DO.

    #8
    JoanF
    en respuesta a andrew_holod

    Re: Opinions - mandated cork closures for Catalan wines?

    Ver mensaje de andrew_holod

    Hi Andrew!

    I was quite surprised with your comment: Whether this is a function of the recent newfound acceptance of Catalunya as a nationality and some sense of national pride or politicians run amok I don’t know.

    I do believe you are mixing concepts, I don’t see the connection of ’nationality’ or even some ’acceptance’ you talk about and the cork for wines.... Unless it should be ’catalan cork’ ;^DD.

    Anyway, I read about Rueda mandating the use of cork, but as long as I tasted, the DO Rueda Bornos Dulce is using a ’plastic’ type. I’m trying to age this wines too...let’s wait and see in a few years.

    On the other hand, even if ’plastic’ could be used... right now, the wine aging possibility (and its possible side effects) have been fully tested with cork.

    Do you imagine a top wine (today) using plastic instead of cork.... Will you pay 100$ for it?

    Regards.

    Joan

  • Más leído
  • Más recomendado

- No hay entradas a destacar -

- No hay entradas a destacar -

Cookies en verema.com

Utilizamos cookies propias y de terceros con finalidades analíticas y para mostrarte publicidad relacionada con tus preferencias a partir de tus hábitos de navegación y tu perfil. Puedes configurar o rechazar las cookies haciendo click en “Configuración de cookies”. También puedes aceptar todas las cookies pulsando el botón “Aceptar”. Para más información puedes visitar nuestra Ver política de cookies.

Aceptar