PORTUGUESE WINEMAKER DEEMED UNPATRIOTIC FOR SWITCHING TO SCREW CAPS

Portuguese cork producers are up in arms over one of the oldest Portuguese vineyards, Quinta do Cotto, switching to screw caps. Could this be a sign of the changing times? Miguel Champalimaud, owner of Quinta winery, told Reuters that “today a cork is more expensive than a liter of wine,” and that he will be saving $0.20 a bottle with screw caps. As the world’s biggest cork producing country, industry leaders "are obviously unhappy with this move because one of the main drivers for the cork industry is the wine sector," said Joaquim Lima, head of the Portuguese Cork Association. However, about 5% of natural corks are defective and cause the wine to spoil, leading many top wine-producing countries to switch to non-traditional closures.