How to store stelvin cap (Screw top) wines

[Finney]

Hi All,

What is the recommended way to store wines that have been sealed by Stelvin cap (Screw top), standing up or lying down? I have heard the current theory i standing up?

Any thoughts, theory or opinions?

Thanks in advance

Finney

[bacchaebabe]

Basically, it's not important as the reason you store cork sealed bottles on their side is to keep the corks moist. This is obviously not necessary with a stelvin seal.

If you have space in your racks, store them sideways. If you don't, you can leave them in the box standing up. Maybe the only thing you really need to think about is, with the red wines, where you want the crust to form. On the bottom or along the side as per usual. Not that this matters either.

[Guest]

Basically, it's not important as the reason you store cork sealed bottles on their side is to keep the corks moist. This is obviously not necessary with a stelvin seal.

The only important factor is to store them in a manner that protects the cap from damage. Stelvins and related products are far less robust then glass and cork.

[Broughy]

I have had a problem with a particular screw capped wine ie. the caps weren't put on tightly enough, what saved the contents IMO was that they were on their side and the wine formed a crust. anyway the wine whilst prematurely aged was not oxidised after a couple of years, could be just good luck

[bacchaebabe]

Basically, it's not important as the reason you store cork sealed bottles on their side is to keep the corks moist. This is obviously not necessary with a stelvin seal.

The only important factor is to store them in a manner that protects the cap from damage. Stelvins and related products are far less robust then glass and cork.

Good point - a knock can easily break the seal.

[Finney]

Hi List

I find it an interesting subject. I don't know the science of the "screw cap" seal but it interests me that it basically appears as a paper/composite material with a silver coating to finish. Over time this must impart something to the wine if stored on its side and certainly must take in some moisture either directly or in directly.

I have many later vintages that I have paid good money for and would be interested to know the science behind it all.

I can certainly see that if I stand the bottles upright that the seal could dry out over years of storage, but hey I am no expert.

Thanks in advance

Finney

[Ch Nohbpullah]

There are many myths surrounding stelvin sealed wines.
a knock will not break the seal. the technology has changed since we last saw commercial stelvin sealed wines in the 80's. The difference is a small step which you can see on the top edge ofcap, this is known as the redraw and to break this seal will require a severe knock or a chip to the glass.
The liner is also different and the shiny coating is a tin liner which has a long shelf life and extremely low permeability to oxygen.
As for the reductive debate, this is changing as winemakers are changing how they present wine for bottling under stelvin.

[Wizz]

Finney, the best overview of the science you will get is in Tyson Stelzer's new book. have a look here:

http://www.winepress.com.au

cheers

Andrew

[707]

I understand that almost all bottling lines have added a device in the past 18 months that now accurately measures cap pressure so the days of having loose or over tightened caps is behind us.

Also, the caps aren't as sensitive to knocks as some people (the cork lobby and flat earth theorists) would have us believe. I've drunk a number of wines with dinged caps and had no problems.

FWIW I store all of mine standing up, I drink a fair amount of screw capped wines and haven't had a single problem bottle.

[Guest]

Also, the caps aren't as sensitive to knocks as some people (the cork lobby and flat earth theorists) would have us believe. I've drunk a number of wines with dinged caps and had no problems.

When I said they were not as robust I was not meaning they had to be treated with kidd gloves or anything. That being said, failure of the seal is not unheard of. In the last 6 months I have had two instances of a dodgy seal in a stelvin. One due to a ding and one due to what I assume was a production line error (that should have been picked up in QA). I hasten to add this is a lower failure rate than I have had for cork in the same time period. In both instances they were replaced by the retailer with less hesitation than I have had with TCA related returns.

[Guest]

I had the choice of Stelvin or cork when i purchased Cullen Cabernet/Merlot in 01 and 02 and chose the Stelvin due to new hype but now im starting to worry. Do you think I made the wrong decision? I have cellared them on there sides.

[GraemeG]

I had the choice of Stelvin or cork when i purchased Cullen Cabernet/Merlot in 01 and 02 and chose the Stelvin due to new hype but now im starting to worry. Do you think I made the wrong decision? I have cellared them on there sides.

Sideways is fine. Don't worry. Who's gonna build special 'standing upright' wine racks? How many makers have gone back to cork after switching over?

You did fine.
cheers,
Graeme

[Red Bigot]

How many makers have gone back to cork after switching over?

You did fine.
cheers,
Graeme

Dutschke has gone back to all cork after the 2002 stelvins failed to sell well.

I have bought some quite high-priced wines under stelvin and so far I'm not at all worried. I've only struck a few wines at tastings with the dreaded reductive character and obviously avoided buying those.

[n4sir]

Basically, it's not important as the reason you store cork sealed bottles on their side is to keep the corks moist. This is obviously not necessary with a stelvin seal.

I'm not totally sold on this point yet, and I'm hoping to do some sort of test soon to test this out.

It's scary to me to see liquor outlets storing premium wines upright on the top shelves (just under the roof line) where if they don't move quickly they sit there and cook.

The screwcap seems to be another excuse for them abusing bottles this way, saying there's no cork affected by the changes in heat to allow in excess oxygen, but ignoring the fact that the wine is being screwed by the changes in temperature itself.

It's also a scary thought to buy a wine from auction under screw that's been totally oxidised with no visual hint that it's stuffed, and no recourse either.

Cheers
Ian