The Reduction Myth
Screw-capped bottles are no more vulnerable to chemical taint than those under cork
Posted: Jun 23, 2011 1:59pm ET
As twist-off wine closures become more and more prevalent to prevent the foul effects of cork taint, a critical minority claims to find more wines under screw caps affected by sulfides. A new study from Oregon State University disproves that notion. Researchers tested the same wines under corks and various types of alternative closures in real-world conditions, and found no difference at all.
The study, due later this year, debunks the idea, promoted by screw-cap skeptics, that sulfur dioxide and naturally occurring hydrogen sulfide in wine can get worse or develop into other, nastier-smelling taints, such as dimethyl sulfide, in the low-oxygen conditions of a bottle sealed under a spiral closure. In other words, if you sense these taints in a bottle of wine, blame the winemaker, not the closure.
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