Screw-cap wines
We had our fave marinated BBQ lamb tonight with a bottle of Tinhorn Pinot Noir 2004 -- the first serious BC wine I've had with screw-cap (no, we won't talk about Lonesome Charlie!).
I've had a couple of the Henry of Pelham screw-top wines, and was really impressed, but this PN was pretty terrific too. Yes, we did decant, and the wine improved over the meal (served with orzo tossed with sundried tomatoes and sauteed mushrooms), but was quite drinkable out of the bottle. I can really see excellent screw-tops getting popular with the BYOB crowd.
Any other experiences good or bad with screw-tops?
I've had a couple of the Henry of Pelham screw-top wines, and was really impressed, but this PN was pretty terrific too. Yes, we did decant, and the wine improved over the meal (served with orzo tossed with sundried tomatoes and sauteed mushrooms), but was quite drinkable out of the bottle. I can really see excellent screw-tops getting popular with the BYOB crowd.
Any other experiences good or bad with screw-tops?
posted by Linda | 7:24 p.m.
2 Comments:
Screwcaps? Love 'em! Never mind BYOB, they're popular with me for any occasion. I'm sooooo tired of having good wine tainted, in subtle and not-so-subtle ways, by bad corks. Given a choice between wines of similar quality and price in cork or screwcap closure, I'll always go for the screwcap. And I make a point of trying the new ones that come along, in the hopes of increasing the percentage of screwcaps in my cellar.
When my wife and I visited New Zealand last winter, we were in screwcap heaven - the Kiwi winemakers have it right! Alas, their Canuck counterparts are lagging behind. In Ontario, I think only two of the smaller players, Flat Rock and Norman Hardie, have gone 100% screwcap. Of the big guys, a few (Henry of Pelham, Inniskillin and Stoney Ridge come to mind) have dabbled in screwcaps, but they seem afraid to take the plunge in a big way. That old stigma, y'know. I hope they start to see the light soon.
When I pop a cork on a wine these days, I often have a suitable screwcap bottle handy as a backup, just in case...
I am all for screwtops. I agree with Barry M and usually adopt the same practice when choosing between a cork and a screwtop in similar circumstances.
My wife and I (...and golden retrievers) just got back yesterday from our annual trip to Vancouver Island when we "canwine'
d and dined very well.
Did not try a lot of "new" labels this year but the big "find" was the Pinot Noir Rose from Joie which was in a screwtop as I think were their unoaked Chardonnay [small addition of pinot blanc to give an attractive muscat-like taste]and Noble Blend.
Also tried a sample of Averill Creek's pinot noir and pinot gris. New winery that opened up near Duncan. I think that this is their first production. 3 year old vines. Pinot noir was ok, light, not surprising given the age of the grapes. Pleasant, raspberry fruit.
Pinot Gris was too "oaked" for me. I think that this is the varietal which BC does best with a number of superb offerings.
The funny thing here to me was that the pinot noir was in a stelvin enclosure whereas the pinot gris used a cork. Will have to ask Andy Johnson, the owner, why he chose to go that route.
Nice to have Canwine back.
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