Screwcaps versus natural corks has become the wine debate of the century, and as a good Frenchman, I always prefer the traditional cork. However, I recently met with Peter Gago, the mastermind behind Penfolds “Grange,” wines, who has been doing intensive research regarding screwcaps and other new types of closures. It seems you can’t beat screwcaps for white wines, such as Penfold’s Chardonnay (￥230, http://www.asc-wines.com) since they eliminate the issue of cork taint. Chris Brauteseth from Winelink also points out that some wineries cut costs by using cheap corks, leading to breakage and possible damage to the wine, all problems that can be prevented with screwcaps. Still, corks are not only preferable for aging red wines, but they’re also a tradition that most serious wine lovers don’t want to give up. For those who just can’t make up their minds, the Wine Republic has started importing some wines that come in both capped and corked varieties.

Cedrick Croas
French Wine Sommelier at the Westin Beijing Chaoyang. Send him your wine questions at winecorner.chaoyang@westinbj.com