closures

For eons, natural corks have been the closure of choice for most high-end wines. However, because of the problem with corked wines (though the severity level of this predicament is controversial), several other closure alternatives are now being explored. Some wine producers are pioneering the move for change by using synthetic corks or manufactured hybrids (see corks) or screw caps. Few are willing to use the crown cap that many sparkling wine producers use during triage or secondary fermentation. So far, synthetic corks have had the best reception. However, many wine producers are waiting before they decide to make changes because they're worried about consumer acceptance of these other alternatives for higher-quality wines. While these forays into alternative closures are proceeding, the Portuguese cork industry is attempting to reduce the rate of problematic corks by spending a great deal of money on new equipment, modernized production areas, and quality control improvements. Closures are sometimes referred to as stoppers.