Dear Alleigh:
I was wondering if you buy wines with screw tops? Do you think these wines are as good as wines with a cork?
2010 Lucien Albrecht Riesling Reserve
This is a great question because I think a lot of people look at wines with Stelvin closure (or screw top) and skip over them because they assume the wines are cheap, or at least of a poor quality. I am definitely not one of those people. In fact, I find that more and more of the every day wines that I turn to, particularly the white ones, have a Stelvin closure. Two wines I recently reviewed had screw tops — the 2010 Lucien Albrecht Riesling Reserve, which was from France, and the 2010 Great Sense Vinho Verde, which was from Portugal.
At the end of the day, if you’re planning to cellar your wine, then a Stelvin closure wine isn’t for you, as a traditional cork closure seems to still have the best aging results. However, if you’re going to drink the wine within a few weeks of buying it, then don’t let the type of closure stop you. Wine makers using Stelvin closures expect that wine to be bought and consumed fairly quickly. In fact, they’ve probably chosen to use this type of closure because it often helps retain the wine’s freshness, which is why I think white wines increasingly have a Stelvin closure instead of a traditional cork.
So, definitely grab that screw top wine and check it out. Plus, let me know what you think. I know there still continues to be some controversy in the wine world about alternative closures, so I’d love to hear from you about what type of closure you prefer.
Question of the Day: Do you buy wines with a Stelvin closure (screw top) or do you prefer traditional corks? What’s your favorite screw top wine?
Thanks for emailing! Cheers!
Alleigh
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When hosting a party or taking wine to a party, I always look for a screw cap. I don’t like asking the host for a wine opener, or in my own home, I want my guests to feel free to open another bottle. I’m constantly amazed that many people don’t know how to use a bartender’s corkscrew these days.
Hubby and I regularly have conversations about whether to bring screw tops to parties. As a non-wine drinker, he is not a fan because he subscribes to the idea that it looks “cheap.” I, on the other hand, am just like you. In fact, one of my favorite wines to bring to parties is Paul D Gruner Veltliner, which is has a stelvin closure. It always gets opened, and it’s always one of the first bottles to be empty.