# Screw this!



## ibglowin (Jul 12, 2011)

Didn't think it would happen this fast, well think again!

*Hogue moves entire lineup to screwcaps after 5 year study*

_Hogue Cellars has long been an advocate for screwcap closures. The winery now takes the big plunge, moving its entire production to screwcaps after a comprehensive five-year study.

Hogue’s decision to move its production entirely to screwcaps was firmly rooted in science. The company first began seriously looking at alternative closures in 2001. At the time, the winery began a three year study comparing cork, synthetic closures, and screwcaps. Based on this study the winery moved 70% of its production to Saranex-lined screwcaps, starting in 2004. Hogue left its remaining wines in cork pending further study.

Hogue began its second study in 2005. The purpose was both to further validate the earlier findings and to evaluate the effects of different closure types on oxygen ingress, fruit preservation, and the ability to age.

First the winery looked at an oxygen-sensitive wine, Sauvignon Blanc. Here Hogue looked at 10 different closure types – seven different types of screwcaps and three different types of synthetic corks. Wines were tasted blind every four months for two years by a seven member tasting panel.

What the winery found was that wines sealed with a Saranex-lined screwcap better retained fresh aromas and flavors compared to the other closure types. The winery also found that not all screwcaps were created equal. Aluminum-lined screwcaps had flinty characteristics. Closures that let in very low amounts of oxygen had more reductive qualities, and ones that let in higher amounts of oxygen showed more aged characteristics.

Next the winery compared two Merlots – the 2003 Genesis Merlot ($15) and the 2004 Hogue Merlot ($9). Here the winery used nine different closures including: natural cork, five different types of screwcaps, and three different synthetic closures. Wines were tasted blind every 12 months for five years using a seven person tasting panel. Wines were subsequently evaluated on a number of different sensory criteria.

What the winery found was that, after five years, the 2003 Genesis Merlot using a Saranex-lined screwcap showed more fruit intensity compared to other closure types. This closure preserved the wine better than natural corks and synthetics but also did so appropriate for the wine’s age. Interestingly, the winery found that the amount of nitrogen added to the headspace made a significant difference, with raters preferring wines without nitrogen added. Fairly similar results were found for the 2004 Hogue Merlot.

Based on its study, the winery concluded screwcaps can be as good or better at both preserving wines and aging wine. As a result the winery plans to move the remainder of its production – Genesis and Reserve - to screwcap closures with Saranex linings starting with the 2009 vintage.

One interesting point from Hogue’s study is that there were large differences in various closures on how well the wine aged. Wines aged under certain closures were well preserved but still showed appropriate aged characteristics. Wines under different closures were not or did not.

This point was underscored by a blind tasting of its 2003 Genesis Merlot during the company’s recent presentation in Seattle. The tasting included five different closure types. The wines were markedly different with some extremely well preserved, some faded, and some in between.

For me, the wine that I most preferred was the Saranex lined closure using nitrogen in the headspace. However, I preferred this wine largely because it had been essentially mummified, showing almost no age whatsoever compared to its counterparts. In contrast, the Saranex-lined closure without nitrogen in the headspace showed an appropriate amount of age but was still well preserved. Notably, the wine using a cork closure was identifiable as it had a slight ‘corkiness’ to it, although the wine was well-preserved.

Overall, the Hogue study is notable for its scientific rigor. The winery should also be commended for the openness with which it has shared its findings (go to www.twistopenhogue.com for additional information). This type of study takes an enormous amount of time and considerable cost. To wit, 3,200 different samples were used during the course of the study. Few wineries in Washington have the ability, financially or logistically, to pull something like this off.

Co-founder Gary Hogue said that while the cost of the study was substantial, there was a more important driving force in conducting the study. “If your name is on a product and it’s bad, it’s embarrassing,” Hogue said. Hogue also questioned how acceptable it is to have wines tainted by TCA, even if the overall level of cork taint is low. “When you go into a grocery store, how many sections have consumables that are tainted? One – the wine section.”

While Hogue is now committed to using screwcaps for 100% of its production, Director of Winemaking Co Dinn understands that it will still take other wineries – and consumers – additional convincing. “This is just a piece of the puzzle. It helps move the needle a little bit,” Dinn says. _

Get all the facts here


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## robie (Jul 12, 2011)

Interesting study. Great that they are not willing to share the cost of the study, but openly willing to fully share the results. What's that word I'm trying to come up with--- oh yes, "integrity".

From other things I have read, a very critical factor in utilizing screw caps is how much torque is applied when screwing on the cap. Rather than "the tighter the better", it has to be very, very consistent and just right.

Thanks, Mike.


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## ibglowin (Jul 12, 2011)

We better start hoarding old style conventional wine bottles of all types!


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## ibglowin (Jul 12, 2011)

Hogue was one of the wineries I stopped at in Washington last Summer on our road trip. I bought 3 bottles of different reserve reds, a Cab, a Merlot and a Bordeaux blend (they were all that good). All three were screw caps. Each wine cost on ave about $30 so even then they were already committed it seemed. I still have all three in the cellar. Can't wait to "crack" one of them open one of these days.......


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## Runningwolf (Jul 12, 2011)

DancerMan said:


> From other things I have read, a very critical factor in utilizing screw caps is how much torque is applied when screwing on the cap. Rather than "the tighter the better", it has to be very, very consistent and just right.
> Thanks, Mike.


I might be wrong (I really was once LOL) but I thought the cap went on like a capsule and then heat shrunk to the threads of the neck.


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## ibglowin (Jul 12, 2011)

It is, here is a short [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LvNnk9MHdQc"]You Tube Video[/ame]


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## andy123 (Jul 13, 2011)

I had seen an Australian taste test a few years back favored screw caps to corks. I was looking at wholesale bottles recently and found screw cap bots a little cheaper than Bordeaux and plastic caps were 9 cents. Walmart has proved price wins. Let the hoarding begin!


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## robie (Jul 13, 2011)

ibglowin said:


> It is, here is a short You Tube Video



Hm-m-m. So the caps are not actually screwed on... first, the cap just sets on; then is compressed into the threads; then the outside sleeve is heat shrunk over the whole thing?

The portion of the cap that is over (pressed into) the threads is metal, right? Then sleeving over that?

Interesting. They would certainly get the consistency they need that way.

Wonder when George will start selling that cap installation machine?


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## ibglowin (Jul 13, 2011)

Looks to me to be a (snug) one piece aluminum cap that slides on and then the robotic end piece machines in the rest of the seal from the outside including the breakaway cap portion.


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## Waldo (Jul 14, 2011)

So on that horizontal machinehow do they keep the wine from pouring out before the cap is seated


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## Runningwolf (Jul 14, 2011)

LMAO that was a good one Waldo.


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## tonyt (Jul 14, 2011)

So when the thermometer dips to 32 degrees in Hell and we all start using screw cap bottles for home winemaking how hard is is to remove the capsule part of the cap that gets left on after unscrewing?


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## ibglowin (Jul 14, 2011)

He just turned the camera sideways, bottles are all placed in vertical (bottom side down) as normal.



Waldo said:


> So on that horizontal machine how do they keep the wine from pouring out before the cap is seated


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## VaWineSnob (Jul 14, 2011)

I'm hooked on glass corks: http://www.alcoa.com/global/en/news/news_detail.asp?newsYear=2006&amp;pageID=20060510005075en





Seems like they should work well for home winemaking, not sure about cost on a small scale though...


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## ibglowin (Jul 14, 2011)

Out of reach for the average home winemaker I'm afraid but they look cool!

Welcome to the Fine Vine Wines forums!


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## andy123 (Jul 14, 2011)

http://www.shorecontainer.com/750ml.aspx ..........screw bots


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## tonyt (Jul 14, 2011)

Check out the Vino-Seal in action. Notice the one that malfunctions.
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X4zQX7Tp-oA"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X4zQX7Tp-oA[/ame]


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## ibglowin (Jul 14, 2011)

Hehehehehehe.......

Yep, missed one. Be interesting to see if they have a sensor or camera that detects if the stopper is in place or not and then sends the bottle back around for another go or on down the line for boxing up.


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## cpfan (Jul 18, 2011)

andy123 said:


> http://www.shorecontainer.com/750ml.aspx ..........screw bots



Liquor style screw cap bottles. Caps readily available, and easily applied by hand. Does not use the Stelvin-style caps common on commercial wines. I'm not aware of testing of wines under these caps as has been done for Stelvin style caps by wineries like Hough.


Translation....personally I'm not a fan of these bottles. Would not store any decent wine in them. Just quick drinkers.


Steve


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## ibglowin (Jul 19, 2011)

I bought several last Summer on my road trip from Hogue both were in the $25-30 dollar range. Still in the cellar. Picked up a case this Winter of Bookwalter Subplot 25 and split it with a friend. This is a $20 Bordeaux blend. It was bottled in Stelvin as well. My friend has opened a few and said the wine was definitely awesome. I will let mine sit for another year probably as I still have quite a few Subplot 23 & 24 to run through still. Those were all closed in cork. I have my own small trial it seems. I will report back on how thee wines faired when I break into them.


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