Cork versus screwcap: a major tasting including older wines, with some interesting results
This was an amazing tasting, hosted by Stephen Browett of Farr Vintners, comparing the same wines sealed under cork and screwcap, over a range of styles and vintages. This tasting was rare, and possibly unique in its scope. While many wineries have done internal trials of cork versus screwcap, it’s uncommon for them to continue with these trials and then do the comparison some years later.
What was the motivation for this comparison? ‘From 1996 onwards white Burgundy had terrible problems with oxidation,’ says Stephen. He also referenced the fact that in his annual Southwold tastings of top Bordeaux 10 years after release, he’d get cork taint in the range of 5-10%. And he’s also worked closely with Kumeu River over the years, and they switched to screwcap as soon as they could because of cork issues. ‘Michael Brajkovich opened a whole pallet of 1999s and 40% were corked,’ says Stephen. Another person he’s worked with closely who has shifted to screwcap is Jean-Marie Guffens (Guffens-Heynen and Verget). ‘He’s an important white Burgundy producer, but he’s not from Burgundy and he has an open mind,’ says Stephen. ‘In 2003 he started doing screwcaps with Farr Vintners, so this is why we were able to do this tasting.’ David Gleave of Liberty Wines, a big champion of screwcap, also helped by arranging some Italian wines.
First of all, some caveats. Corks are all different, so when tasting a cork-sealed bottle with a bit of age on it, we would expect to find a range of wines with different degrees of development, because of the natural variability of the cork. So this is not meant to be a precise experiment.
Second, the screwcap is not the closure. The closure is the wadding under the lid, and this determines the screwcaps oxygen transmission rate (OTR). If the wadding is shiny and metallic, then it is the tin/saran liner. Almost all serious screwcapped wines have this liner, and it allows very low OTR. Initially, Verget used the Saranex liner (which looks like white plastic), which they stuck with until 2014. This allows a bit more oxygen transmission than the saran/tin liner. Verget did screwcap from 2003, and from 2004 they moved to 50% screwcap. In 2012 they ditched cork and moved to Diam, so many of these comparisons are between screwcap and Diam, and this is indicated where it’s the case.
Third, it not just OTR that causes cork/screwcap differences. Corks are not neutral and will release small amounts of phenolics into the wine, and this interaction between the cork and the wine might be significant. Also, corks have oxygen dissolved in them, and they will release some of this over the first few months after bottling, before a steady state OTR is reached. And for a good cork, there is no ‘breathing’: the OTR rate should be pretty low.
Wines were tasted in pairs, and we weren’t told which was which in the pair, although colour often gave a strong clue with the older wines. These are my notes. We took a group score and these results are included below my notes. It was clear that the results were not clear cut, and there was a lot of variation among the tasters (listed below: an experienced bunch, from different backgrounds). The most clear cut results were with the Kumeu River Chardonnays (screwcap preferred by almost all), the Felton Road Pinot (screwcap preferred clearly). For many, the room was split, which was a surprise (I was expecting there to be much more unanimity, and also a big vote in favour of screwcap), and in quite a few cases the cork/Diam-sealed wine was preferred. Bear in mind, though, that for many of the older Verget wines the screwcap had the Saranex liner, and so there might have been a more pronounced different with the saran/tin liner.
If you want a conclusion, then the best I can give is this: it is complicated.
Kumeu River Estate Chardonnay 2002
(a) Golden colour. Honey and apple on the nose, with some nice citrus. Powerful, complex palate with bright lemony notes and then some fine toast and spice notes, as well as hints of cabbage. Has plenty of life left in it: complex and broad with great depth, finishing with notes of wax and honey. 95/100 (cork)
(b) Full yellow colour. Vivid, intense and limey with nice precision and spicy detail. Still youthful with nice complexity showing crystalline citrus fruits and a bit of structure. Finishes with some toast. Developing slowly, and nicely. 95/100 (screwcap)
Kumeu River Mate’s Vineyard Chardonnay 2022
(a) Yellow colour. Linear, taut and mineral with some nice reduction meshing well with the bold citrus fruit, showing a nice stony precision and then some richer notes of toast and peach. Very stylish and developing nicely, with a hint of petrol on the finish. 95/100 (screwcap)
(b) Golden colour. Honey, toast and nuts on the nose, with some spicy citrus and green apple. Bold and intense with nice fudge, toast and toffee richness under the citrus and white peach fruit. This is beautifully developed and harmonious, and is drinking at peak now, although it has life ahead of it. Very fine. 96/100 (cork)
Felton Road Chardonnay 2001
(a) Toast, spice and mineral with some honey and toast, as well as pear and peach fruit. 93/100 (cork)
(b) Pear and peach fruit here with nice lively acidity. Shows some nice texture and depth here with a tangy citrus finish. 94/100 (screwcap)
Verget Chablis Bougros 2009
(a) Honey, toast and spice on the nose with lovely rich citrus fruit. Lovely depth. Mineral finish. 95/100 (cork)
(b) Honey, apple and nuts on the nose with spice and toast. Has lovely depth and complexity. Very fine and expressive, perhaps a little more evolved, but still good. 94/100 (screwcap)
Guffens Au Sud Interdit de Guffens Tinus Chardonnay 2017
(a) Amazing matchstick reduction on the nose with smoky mineral notes. Sweet, softly textured palate. Very reductive. 94/100 (Diam 10)
(b) Subtly reductive with nice depth on the palate. Has a real harmony with some fine matchstick notes and then a tapering, long finish. Such a lovely, complex wine. 95/100 (screwcap)
Guffens Heynen C de Sec by Chateau Cloisot 2019 Bordeaux (Semillon and Sauvignon Gris)
(a) Fine and textural with lovely depth to the sweet pear and citrus fruit. There’s a hint of apricot here with nice intensity. Very fine. 94/100 (screwcap)
(b) Bright and lively with crisp pear and citrus fruit and then some melony depth. Nice fruit here. 92/100 (Diam10)
Verget Chassagne Chenovettes 2004
(a) Honeyed and toasty with nice citrus and white peach, developing nicely with a lemony brightness. Lovely depth here. 95/100 (screwcap)
(b) Toasty and intense with some incense and candlewax, finishing spicy with nice depth. Crystalline and lively, perhaps a bit less mellow, but lovely. 95/100 (cork)
Verget Puligny Montrachet 1er Cru Sous Le Puits 2009
(a) Chiselled and refined with taut pear and white peach fruit, finishing bright and fresh. Lively and pure. Detailed. 95/100 (cork)
(b) Bold, intense and lively with lovely concentration and depth. Fresh with some mandarin richness. Fine and crystalline. 96/100 (screwcap)
Verget Puligny Montrachet 1er Cru Sous Le Puits 2011
(a) Toasty and rich with nice brightness and focus. Has lovely pear and peach with some bready richness. Mineral edge. Bold style. 94/100 (cork)
(b) Linear, precise and focused with fine toasty detail and notes of pear and peach, as well as some citrus. Such precision to this wine. 94/100 (screwcap)
Verget Corton Charlemagne 2003
This was the first Grand Cru white Burgundy bottled under screwcap.
(a) Golden colour. Rich, powerful and intense with lively pear, apricot and peach fruit. Nicely intense with a savoury, spicy dimension. Evolving really well. 95/100 (screwcap)
(b) This is rich and quite bold with pear, white peach and a hint of pineapple, showing lovely depth and intensity. Tapering finish. Very fine. 96/100 (cork)
Verget Meursault Les Clous 2012
(a) Yellow/golden colour. Lively and intense with spice and minerals and nice dense pear and white peach fruit. Pure, lively acidity. 94/100 (screwcap)
(b) intense and lively with some abrasive reductive notes and pure citrus fruit, with a touch of lime oil. Linear and juicy with a nice acid line. 92/100 (Diam 10)
Verget Meursault Les Clous 2015
(a) Lively and pure with some rich pear and peach, showing harmony and focus. 95/100 (Diam30)
(b) Very bright and pure with linear citrus fruit finishing with a slight awkwardness. Nice bright fruit though. Very alert and bright. 93/100 (screwcap)
Verget Mâcon Vergisson La Roche 2013
(a) Lively and intense with nice powerful citrus and pear fruit with nice minerality. This is fine and expressive, with lovely complexity and a tapering finish. 95/100 (screwcap)
(b) Nice brightness with a toasty, spicy edge to the pear and lemon fruit. Vivid and bright with nice fruit intensity. 94/100 (Diam5)
Verget Saint Veran Lieu Interdit 2013
(a) Taut, fine and toasty with nice precision showing lovely lemony fruit. Bright and nicely intense with crystalline citrus fruit. Toasty spicy finish. 94/100 (screwcap)
(b) Lovely toasty intensity here with nice brightness. Has a keen mineral edge with complexity and depth. Shows beautiful intensity. 96/100 (Diam10)
Verget Pouilly-Fuissé Les Combes VV 2014
(a) Nice toast and spice with some peachy richness. Has a sense of harmony and purity. Broad and full with nice spiciness. Fine and fresh but with depth. 94/100 (Diam10)
(b) Nicely complex with fine spicy detail, showing white peach and pear with some toasty depth. Very stylish. 94/100 (screwcap)
Verget Pouilly Fuisse La Roche 2010
(a) Bold and rich with pear and peach fruit, with nice texture and depth. Very stylish. Hint of cabbage and some nice fresh acidity. 94/100 (cork)
(b) This is fresh and complex with layers of flavour. Has bright citrus, then some pear and peach. Lovely weight here. Beautiful. 95/100 (screwcap)
Verget Pouilly Fuisse La Roche 2014
(a) Beautiful focus here. Very fine and expressive with tapering finish. Crystalline citrus fruit, fine toast, lovely depth. 96/100 (screwcap)
(b) Such balance and depth with pure citrus fruit and fine spiciness. Has some pear and peach richness, and a bit of toasty depth. Very stylish: a little broader than the first. 95/100 (Diam10)
Verget Pouilly Fuisse La Roche 2015
(a) Such lovely depth to this wine. Honeyed, broad, rich with fine spicy detail. Some mineral and toast. 94/100 (Diam30)
(b) Detailed and fine with some honey, spice and citrus with lovely mineral framing and a bit of toastiness. 95/100 (Screwcap)
(Second wine of Rauzan-Segla) Ségla Margaux 2009
(a) Mellow, sleek black cherry fruit with some blackcurrant. Has a faded quality to the fruit. Ripe and sweet, and a bit earthy. 88/100 (cork)
(b) Freshly aromatic with a gravelly edge to the supple berry fruits. The palate has some evolution, but also some freshness with nice cherry and berry fruits. Harmonious. 93/100 (screwcap)
Ségla 2010
(a) Gravelly and dense with nice blackcurrant fruit, developing well with nice focus and brightness, but also herb and stewed plums richness. 91/100 (screwcap)
(b) Nice brightness. There’s some evolution, with mellow herbal hints and sweet fruit, but also some presence. Has good definition with some warmth (from alcohol?). 92/100 (cork)
Kumeu River Melba 2000 Merlot Malbec
(a) Bright, lively, berryish, spicy with nice black fruits. Juicy. Has evolved but it’s nice. 90/100 (screwcap)
(b) Spice, tar, earth and herbs with nice density and some grip. Mellow, with nice intensity. Still alive. Most people thought this was corked but I didn’t think so. 88/100 (cork)
Felton Road Pinot Noir 2001
(a) Sweet berries and spice, lovely depth and intensity. Mellow with a core of sweet berry fruits and a tangy edge. Has some orange peel. Evolving beautifully. 94/100 (screwcap)
(b) Warm, sweet and malty with nice depth. Shows wild strawberry and cherry fruit with some spice and herbiness. Sweet and evolved. 93/100 (cork)
Henschke Mount Edelstone Shiraz 2004
(a) Warm, well developed, has some minty detail, lovely sweet mellow, textured berry and cherry fruits. Nice cherry fruit with some warmth here. In a beautiful place now. Mellow and fine. 95/100 (cork)
(b) Brighter and more vivid with a slight hardness on the edge with sweet berry fruits. Has nice depth of flavour. 93/100 (screwcap)
Sangiovese first made in 1980. Liberty persuaded them to try screwcap from 2005, and now they do half and half.
Isole E Olena Ceparellpo 2005
(a) Fresh, gravelly and spicy with nice density of fruit. Grippy and gravelly with nice density. 92/100 (screwcap)
(b) Earthy, tarry and spicy. Chunky and gravelly with some baked notes. Looking a bit tired. 87/100 (cork)
Isole E Olena Ceparellpo 2016
(a) Vivid and fresh with olived and some cured meat as well as nice spiciness. Juicy and dense with nice firmness under the fruit. 92/100 (cork)
(b) Nice freshness and elegance here, as well as some density, showing some grip. Fresh and juicy with iron, blood and some tar. Nice balance. 93/100 (screwcap)
The group results
WHITES
KUMEU RIVER
2002 Estate Chardonnay – Screwcap 17, Cork 0, Tie 0
2002 Mate’s Vineyard Chardonnay – Screwcap 14, Cork 3, Tie 0
FELTON ROAD
2001 Chardonnay – Screwcap 15, Cork 2, Tie 0
VERGET/GUFFENS
2003 Corton Charlemagne – Screwcap 5, Cork 10, Tie 2
2004 Chassagne Montrachet Premier Cru Chenevottes – Screwcap 3, Cork 12, Tie 2
2009 Chablis Bougros – Screwcap 2, Cork 13, Tie 2
2009 Puligny Montrachet Premier Cru Sous le Puits– Screwcap 6, Cork 7, Tie 4
2010 Pouilly Fuisse La Roche – Screwcap 5, Cork 11, Tie 1
2011 Puligny Montrachet Premier Cru Sous le Puits – Screwcap 13, Cork 1, Tie 3
2012 Meursault Les Clous – Screwcap 9, Cork (Diam 10) 7, Tie 1
2013 Macon Vergisson La Roche – Screwcap 5, Cork (Diam 5) 7, Tie 5
2013 Saint Veran Lieu Interdit – Screwcap 8, Cork (Diam 10) 7, Tie 2
2014 Pouilly Fuisse La Roche – Screwcap 3, Cork (Diam 10) 10, Tie 4
2014 Pouilly Fuisse Les Combes VV – Screwcap 9, Cork (Diam 10) 6, Tie 2
2015 Pouilly Fuisse La Roche – Screwcap 6, Cork (Diam 30) 7, Tie 4
2015 Meursault Les Clous – Screwcap 7, Cork (Diam 30) 6, Tie 4
2017 Tinus Chardonnay (Interdit de Guffens) – Vin de France – Screwcap 10, Cork (Diam) 4, Tie 3
2019 C de Sec du Chateau Closiot – Bordeaux Blanc – Screwcap 3, Cork (Diam) 12, Tie 2
REDS
SEGLA
2009 – Screwcap 11, Cork 5, Tie 0
2010 – Screwcap 8, Cork 7, Tie 2
NEW ZEALAND
2000 Melba (Merlot/Malbec) Kumeu River – Screwcap 17, Cork 0, Tie 0
2001 Pinot Noir – Felton Road – Screwcap 12, Cork 4, Tie 1
AUSTRALIA
2004 Mount Edelstone Shiraz – Henschke – Screwcap 10, Cork 4, Tie 3
ITALY
2005 Cepparello – Screwcap 17, Cork 0, Tie 0
2016 Cepparello – Screwcap 7, Cork 8, Tie 1
Tasters
- Jancis Robinson MW OBE – Jancis Robinson.com / Financial Times Wine Correspondent
- Ella Lister – Wine Lister / Le Figaro
- Chas Peterkin – Four Walls Wine (on behalf of Barry Phillips)
- David Gleave MW – Chairman, Liberty Wines
- Rebecca Gibb MW – Vinous
- Tim Sykes – Buyer for The Wine Society
- Oz Clarke OBE – Television presenter, wine expert and author
- Sarah Marsh MW – The World of Fine Wines
- Josh Castle – Noble Rot / Keeling Andrew
- Sophie Liverman – Head Sommelier and wine buyer, Sessions Arts Club Restaurant
- Nicola Greening – Felton Road Wines, Bannockburn NZ
- Marie Guffens – Domaine Guffens-Heynen
- Julien Desplans – Winemaker Maison Verget
- Joss Fowler – Vinolent
- Stephen Browett – Chairman, Farr Vintners
- Thomas Parker MW – Farr Vintners
- Jamie Goode – Author Flawless, Wine Bottle Closures, Wine Science
