winefind.ca
If you want to buy a wine, just click on the wine name below and you will instantaneously connected with the LCBO database. The wine name will appear in blue and all you have to do is click on the name again and then the next screen will provide details along with the store search. Just click on the search. The number of bottles in each store is updated nightly. You should call the store first to see if stock still remains (each store phone number is provided).

At one time, almost all Ontario wines came with screwcaps. The advent of bottles with corks along with varietal labels was a cause celeb. Once established, no self-respecting Ontario wine would be caught with a twist and shout cap. Indeed, only hapless economy class airline passengers were served nameless screwcap stuff.

Well, what goes around comes around. This week Henry of Pelham announced the upcoming release of Canada’s first VQA screwcap white. Fed up with the cork taint problem, which afflicts up to 15 bottles out of a hundred, producers began looking for other less problematic closures. Composite and plastic corks were tried, but they too have had their problems.

Decades ago, renowned scientist Dr. Helmut Becker at Germany’s Geisenheim Research Institute extolled the virtues of crown caps (the type used on beer) as an alternative. The only company, to my knowledge, which adopted Becker’s recommendation was Vancouver Island’s idiosyncratic, highly sought-after Venturi-Schulze Vineyards (to check out their wines click here). It was the advent of precision machining technology that permitted screwcaps to suddenly become a real qualitative alternative. That and consumer acceptance.

Basically, the problem with cork is a compound called 2,4,6-trichloroanisole or TCA. It is created by a combination of natural mould in the cork bark and chlorine in the solution used to clean the bark. The combination can produce distinct musty smells reminiscent to an old carpet or wet cardboard. This odour, however, can prove to be quite elusive. I remember accepting a wine served very cold, only to taste it ten minutes later and discover that it had developed disagreeable mouldy orange rind notes. It was “corked” and replaced with a new bottle by the LCBO.

With average taint levels of 5 to 8%, the Australian winemakers were the first to take the plunge in 2000 when some 13 leading Riesling producers in the Clare Valley decided to use Stelvin closures. Today, virtually all producers in the region are using scewcaps.

In February 2001, winemakers from the Marlborough region of New Zealand held a workshop to consider the ‘long-skirted screwcap’ closure to replace cork. Under the aptly named New Zealand Screwcap Wine Seal Initiative, we now find that more than 15% of all New Zealand wines come with a screwcap.

Acceptance is growing, especially in the U.K. where chains such as Sainsbury and Marks & Spencer who often label their own wine and insist that their suppliers switch to plastic cork or screwcap closures. Tesco, another leading U.K. supermarket group, already sells more than 60 screwcap wines. As for quality, it would appear that wines with screwcaps are winning awards. In fact, so far this year Vintages has featured six screwcap wines and all were above average in quality (some are still available).

From Australia’s McLaren Vale Dowie Doole 2002 Chenin Blanc (709246  - $14.50) is a definite winner with its peach nose and dry, honeyed but crisp, ripe peachy flavours. From New Zealand, you will be hard pressed to beat Palliser Estate 2002 Pencarrow Sauvignon Blanc (738997) at $17.95 and still available in a few stores. This Martinborough, North Island region white has a brilliant nose focusing on fresh Anjou pear, sweet grass and a touch of guava. It is very dry and crisp with grassy flavours and hint of guava on the finish.

The French Vin de Pays d’Oc debut Domaine de La Baume 2002 Viognier (723916 - $14.85) was just released in Vintages last month. Look for a honeyed, ripe lemon-tangerine citrus nose and rounded and yet still lively, pear and ripe red apple flavours followed up by a faintly cedary finish. Winemaker Ashley Huntington will be appearing at the upcoming Vintages Young Winemakers event on November 19, 2003 (to see details click here).

Discovering that the Swiss have a screwcaps for decades and that wine giant Gallo has just released a portion of its Turning Leaf range in Stelvin in the UK market, must have finally prompted owner Paul Speck of Henry of Pelham to take the plunge. Last year he stated “we need a heavyweight like Mondavi or Penfolds to start. Our reputation in Canada just too delicate to do it.” Fortunately opinions change and just his week Speck admitted that the time had come to go ahead with this project.

Come next month, the new screwcap edition of Henry of Pelham 2002 Barrel Fermented Chardonnay (268342 - $18.95 Vintages Essentials) will hit the shelves. “Instead of using one of our less expensive brands,” says Paul Speck, “we used a premium wine. We are demonstrating both ease of use and absence of any risk of cork taint.”

I blind tasted both bottles: one with a cork (which is currently on the Vintages shelves), the other with a screwcap. The latter was initially a tad lighter, crisper and brighter with dry Anjou pear flavours and just a hint of oak. Served chilled, I doubt whether many would be able to articulate a clear preference. They are very similar and so they should be. The exciting thing is to see how they evolve because the screwcap bottle should maintain its freshness and fruit vibrancy for a longer period.

Check out our winefind.ca tasting notes database

Our tasting note database goes back to January 1, 2001 and covers every Vintages release product for the past 31 months. There are approximately 5,000 notes in the database data. Just enter the name of the product, supplier name or CSPC number. Or you can search by type of wine, country of origin, even wine agent! Nothing could be easier. When you get your search results (starting with the most recent release), click on the item name and you will instantaneously connected to the FBTI Vintage Assessments database. You will see our tasting note along with the name of the agent. You can get information on the agent by clicking on the agent’s name. Also, you can check LCBO store inventory by clicking on Check LCBO Availability. It will automatically take you to the item you want to search.

To use our winefind.ca Tasting Notes Database: click here

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November 2003 InStore Discovery

Copyright Food & Beverage Testing Institute of Canada 2004
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Contact Michael Vaughan at
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