Oz/NZ riesling under cork facing extinction?

[GraemeG]

I dropped in to the VC store near my golf club after Saturday's disastrous round, and made my usual purchase (ie. nothing). While browsing around, I did a quick count of the riesling shelf (ignoring the fridge and other floor stocks). Of the 11 Oz & NZ rieslings on offer from the 2002 vintage, 8 were sealed with screwcaps. For the 2003 offerings, only 1 bottle of 18 was sealed with a cork. I rather think it's 'game set and match'...

Does anyone know whether the screwcap ever achieved such dominance among riesling makers back in the 70/80s? Or was it the provenance of a select few?

I didn't survey the Suavignon Blanc or Semillons - they're certainly lagging, but not too far behind. I wonder if we'll see anyone go back to cork after having made the switch?

cheers,
Graeme

[simm]

Graeme, it looks like you're buying exactly the same product from VC as I do!

I haven't seen it's dominance over cork in any other whites anything like it has in Riesling. I was a wee thing back then but I do remember it used to imply cheap rubbish.

cheers,

[Murray]

Graeme,

The current level of bottling in screwcaps far exceeds that achieved back in the 1980's for the Australian made wines. Back then there were only a few who tried it, although this covered both big players and small makers. However it failed commercially; but not technically, and faded from use.

For the New Zealand wines there was no fine wine bottling in screwcap in the 1980's, however it appeared to be the dominant seal for 2003 vintage aromatic whites, and most 2002's when I went through the new releases last year eg 7 out of 9 Rieslings and 18 out of 28 SB's were in screwcap.

The difference between then and now is not the technology as such; but the methodology by which it was reintroduced that has been a big factor in it's success.

It's interesting to take a look at the re-introduction of screwcaps, or the introduction in NZ's case, from a technology innovation viewpoint, rather than the prevailing TCA Taint/oxidation view. This approach takes ino account the various customer segments, from the innovators through to the skeptics.

Late last year I wrote an article on the topic entitled Screwcaps - the Beta Videotape of the Wine World which takes a detailed look at the approach, factoring in some excellent work by lecturers at the Victoria University; whose articles are also worth looking at (links at end of the article).

My view is that scewcap is now accepted as a mainstream seal for aromatic whites in the Australian and New Zealand markets. Other white varieties and reds are not at that stage now, but I expect similar acceptence within a reasonably short timeframe. International markets will aaccept screwcaps at various rates.

I don't foresee people going back to cork; although there may be subsequent new technologies which may gain favour.

Murray

(typing this on a qwerty keyboard)

[michaelw]

Murray

(typing this on a qwerty keyboard)

Murray,

How do you normally type?

[Murray]

Murray

(typing this on a qwerty keyboard)

Murray,

How do you normally type?

Michael,

The qwerty keyboard line refers to part of my article, where I compare the qwerty layout to the superior Dvorack layout.

But since you ask, hunt and peck, using 4 fingers and occasional thumbs, and trying to type, far too quickly which means I spend 60% of my posting time ediiting my typos.

[Gavin Trott]

But since you ask, hunt and peck, using 4 fingers and occasional thumbs, and trying to type, far too quickly which means I spend 60% on my posting time ediiting my typos.

Ahh, so I'm not the only one!

Actually, it works, I type about as fast as I think (no comments please ), thought about learning touch typing, but cannot compose that fast.

Tried voice/type software, what an expensive waste of time experiment that was.

[Guest]

I think it is fair to say that the issue of TCA is far more widely understood this time around by the average punter than in the 70's. So there was no perception of gain from the consumer. And the mere fact that the screw cap push was lead by the arse end of the wine industry did not help.
In the words of someone "this time its different"

[SueNZ]

I didn't survey the Suavignon Blanc or Semillons - they're certainly lagging, but not too far behind.

cheers,
Graeme

If you come to NZ and look at the Sauvignon Blancs, screwcap will dominate, possibly 9 to 1. Screwcap is also dominant on Pinot Noir but perhaps only 7 to 1. As for Semillon, I've only seen one recent release and it had a cork.

Cheers,
Sue

[SueNZ]

TFor the New Zealand wines there was no fine wine bottling in screwcap in the 1980's ...

Some producers may argue with you. Murray. Didn't you know that Muller Thurgau was our finest wine back then? Early 1980's that is.

Cheers,
Sue

[Murray]

TFor the New Zealand wines there was no fine wine bottling in screwcap in the 1980's ...

Some producers may argue with you. Murray. Didn't you know that Muller Thurgau was our finest wine back then? Early 1980's that is.

Cheers,
Sue

Sue, I have mulled over NZ's history with Muller Thurgau and it's assualt of the european Liebfraumilch market (as discussed by Tom Stevenson), but that didn't have appreciable bottlings in screwcap, did it?

[SueNZ]

TFor the New Zealand wines there was no fine wine bottling in screwcap in the 1980's ...

Some producers may argue with you. Murray. Didn't you know that Muller Thurgau was our finest wine back then? Early 1980's that is.

Cheers,
Sue

Sue, I have mulled over NZ's history with Muller Thurgau and it's assualt of the european Liebfraumilch market (as discussed by Tom Stevenson), but that didn't have appreciable bottlings in screwcap, did it?

Murray, while my comment was made a bit tongue in cheek, there have been 2 or 3 Muller Thurgaus that I have tasted at over 10 years old and while the most stunning, a wine labelled 1984 (or was it a 1985) Montana Wohnsiedler in an unusual shaped bottle, didn't have a screwcap the complexity the wine had developed with age was quite remarkable. Tasted with a dozen other people, no-one believed it was Muller Thurgau and when I told them the grape variety started with 'M', they all plumped for Marsanne.
The Nobilos 1983 Muller Thurgau in screwcap was tasted at the screwcap launch in 2001. Unfortunately the wine was past it. In comparison, a 1993 in screwcap was quite remarkable. I guess it depended on the style of wine made in the first place. A few people experimented with dry styles and made quite well balanced wines with good acidity. For a while much of the Muller Thurgau was called Riesling Sylvaner, which sounded more 'upmarket', I guess.

Nobilos Muller Thurgau 1993 Gisborne (screwcap)Bright yellow gold and oily in appearance. Developed and toasty with plenty of honey and a little toasted pineapple. Sweet. Very clean. This wine is amazing. Tasted Aug2001.

Cheers,
Sue

[simm]

But since you ask, hunt and peck, using 4 fingers and occasional thumbs, and trying to type, far too quickly which means I spend 60% on my posting time ediiting my typos.

Ahh, so I'm not the only one!

Actually, it works, I type about as fast as I think (no comments please ), thought about learning touch typing, but cannot compose that fast.

Tried voice/type software, what an expensive waste of time experiment that was.

Believe it or not, touch typing was one of the best things I have ever done. Sadly, it doesn't make you a better writer

cheers