Turn of the Screw

Why Oregon wineries prefer screw caps over corks

By Jessica Zimmer

A growing number of Oregon wineries now use screw cap closures in place of corks. Reasons behind the shift include consistent quality, lower price, and further options for grocery and tasting room displays, including printed logos aligned on caps.

Screw caps typically average 30 cents each, while lesser quality and conglomerate corks run around 50 cents. Superior corks, with a human sensory screening able to “sniff out off aromas,” are even more expensive– between $1-1.50 each, according to Wynne Peterson-Nedry, second-generation winemaker and co-owner of Ridgecrest Wines in Newberg.

“We now use Stelvin screw caps from Amcor on all our wines. We first introduced them on our less expensive wines in 2001 and 2002. By 2008, they were on our reserve and single vineyard Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays,” says Wynne’s father, Harry Peterson-Nedry, founder and co-owner of Ridgecrest Wines.
Screw caps add more reliability than corks in guarding against oxidation and trichloroanisole, more commonly known as TCA, or “cork taint.”

“Screw caps are especially helpful for Pinot Noirs, which can be a little more delicate, and white wines, with which you want to retain freshness,” says Wynne Peterson-Nedry.

This ongoing effort educates customers and winery guests about the advantages of screw caps. There still exists a widespread perception that screw caps are solely for lower-quality wines.

Harry Peterson-Nedry explains, “We share the advantages of screw caps every day. Our guests can see how screw caps preserve the color, brightness and flavor of our wines. No cork taint is a bonus, along with the ability to live very long lives!”

Screw caps have existed since the late 1800s, but weren’t more widely adopted until 30 years ago. At the time, cork suppliers in Portugal (and other cork-growing regions) supplied local winemakers with their most superior products. California received slightly lower-quality cork.

“Third priority went to Oregon and Washington and the worst quality was delivered to other winemaking regions. Because Australia and New Zealand experienced problems with TCA early on, they pioneered research for an alternate closure. We followed suit and began using screw caps about a decade later,” says Harry Peterson-Nedry.

Later adoptions, for similar reasons

Brent Stone, co-CEO and winemaker for King Estate Winery in Eugene, says 80 percent of their wines are under screw cap. The winery began shifting to Stelvin closures in 2015.

“In general, our higher price point wines remain under cork closures, but those bottles at $25 and less have screw caps,” says Stone. He doesn’t believe screw caps appropriate solely for wines at lower prices; it’s merely how King Estate’s programs have evolved.

“We typically see less variability with regard to oxygen ingress than with cork. This is particularly important for white wines, which can experience fluctuations in quality due to premature oxidation,” says Stone. He adds the winery’s Willamette Valley Pinot Gris, with a screw cap closure, is particularly ageable.

However, Stone acknowledges some customers still prefer the appearance and distinctive sound of a cork closure. “Design changes over the years have made some screw caps similar in appearance to a tin capsule over cork. Yet, it’s hard to replace the traditional sommelier experience with the sound of the cork being popped,” admits Stone.

Still, screw caps represent additional marketing opportunities, like creating a balanced, symmetrical design on store and tasting room shelves.

While Sweet Cheeks Winery in Eugene still uses cork for its oaked white and red wines, it adopted screw caps from Crealis in 2014 for everything else.
“We began by first placing our white wines aged in stainless steel tanks under screw caps. We found they best preserved the flavor profile. With screw caps, our wines continue to taste fresh months and months later,” says Jessica Thomas, general manager of Sweet Cheeks Winery.

Thomas notes the winery prefers screw caps for wines needing additional preservation. “They help fresh, fruit-forward wines stay crisp for a longer period. These include our Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris, Riesling and Sauvignon Blanc, as well as our rosés.” says Thomas.

Price plus sustainability are selling points for Thomas. “Screw caps for a dozen bottles cost around $1.50, whereas corks for four bottles is roughly $3.50. So, screw caps are about half the price of cork, for two-thirds more units. We also prefer using recyclable materials because they contribute to our sustainability efforts,” says Thomas.

Thomas says while some customers are still warming up to the idea of screw caps, most don’t seem to mind them. “We did a survey early on and discovered a very small fraction preferred cork; the majority had no preference and a modest percentage love screw caps.

Now, we start by asking how wine fits into our customer’s lifestyle. Then we learn what types of wines they want,” says Thomas.

“We like to teach them about the aging process so they better understand the role of oxygen intervention. A conversation about screw caps and corks presents an opportunity to meet the customer where they are,” says Thomas.

Jessica Zimmer is a news reporter, attorney, and educator based in northern California. She has worked in journalism for over 20 years. She covers a wide variety of industries, including alcoholic beverage production, transportation, law and the arts.