Comments on: Henschke Hill of Grace says goodbye screwcap, hello Vino-Lok

By: Corks, White Castle, Skinnygirl, Quarts-de-Chaume — sipped & spit | Dr Vino's wine blog

Fri, 24 Feb 2012 20:21:16 +0000

[...] is seeking another closure has begun tests with screwcaps. Maybe he should follow Henschke and say bonjour to Vino-Lok? Also: Ch. Margaux is “very close” to being organic. [...]

By: Keith L.

Keith L. — Fri, 20 May 2011 15:41:03 +0000

I hope they will consider this closure for Mt. Edelstone as well.

By: Things that caught my eye: subsidies, wine, LEDs, dismal economists « Knowledge Problem

Tue, 17 May 2011 12:23:33 +0000

[...] of Dr. Vino, an Australian winery using a new German technology rather than a screw cap for its cellar-destined (at $500/bottle!) wines. Called Vino-Lok, the company touts its glass [...]

By: James Vineyard

James Vineyard — Mon, 16 May 2011 21:45:16 +0000

Grey Stack winery in the Bennett Valley (Sonoma) was using glass stoppers on their (fantastic) Sauvignon Blanc from about 2006-2009, but chose to go back to cork for the 2010 vintage due to (IIRC) a combination of supply problems and leaking bottles.

I love the stoppers, but can attest that some of their bottles did leak. In my tiny sample, 1 in about 40 bottles leaked.

Thanks for the news about Henschke though.

By: Tyler

Tyler — Mon, 16 May 2011 09:18:57 +0000

If you’re looking for a VinoLok wine, I believe that Cusumano (a Sicilian producer) bottles using them and is in wide distribution (at the very least, Southern Wine & Spirits carries it down here in Florida). Their Syrah is quite good, and (naturally) they make a very tasty Nero d’Avola.

By: ParliamoDiVino

ParliamoDiVino — Mon, 16 May 2011 07:30:48 +0000

I have already talked about it in these two post:

http://www.parliamodivino.com/2009/09/vino-lok-il-tappo-in-vetro.html

http://www.parliamodivino.com/2009/09/le-mie-prime-bottiglie-con-il-tappo-in.html

My opinion is that the glass stopper is too expensive…

By: Dr. Vino

Dr. Vino — Mon, 16 May 2011 03:01:43 +0000

Larry,

I would like to see comparable rates of oxygen transmission on corks, synthetic corks, screwcaps, and vino lok.

Please note that Henschke is quite a methodical person, his winery enjoys an international reputation, and he has been testing these closures for five years and is thrilled with the results. So his decision hardly seems like a snap judgment because they look cool.

I wonder if he might price the vino lok more than the screwcap the way plumpjack did a few years back when they introduced a screwcap alongside a bottling under cork.

By: Laura Stewart

Laura Stewart — Mon, 16 May 2011 01:27:59 +0000

Wow! That looks pretty cool. Those Germans have some good inventions. I cannot wait to try my first bottle of wine with the Vino-Lok

By: larry schaffer

larry schaffer — Sun, 15 May 2011 22:57:19 +0000

I’ve had a few white wines using the closure and they certainly are ‘cool’ – the click on and off concept and the reusabiity of the bottle is certainly cool.

From a winemaking perspective, though, I worry about the trans ox properties of the closure and wonder how they compare to other closures in the short, medium, and long terms.

Just because something is ‘new and cool looking’ certainly does not mean it is ‘better’ than what is currently being used.

Cheers!

By: Brindes

Brindes — Sun, 15 May 2011 02:01:39 +0000

Good tip ! I hate the regular corkstopper… Haven’t seem this one before, so I’m definitely trying it !

By: Dr. Vino

Dr. Vino — Sat, 14 May 2011 17:33:43 +0000

Good to hear various reactions to the Vino-Lok. I haven’t opened a bottle closed with one so I look forward to the experience. Glad you like them and think them stylish. It could be something big–but just how big may be limited by how much they cost and I can’t imagine they’re cheap.

By: larry schaffer

larry schaffer — Fri, 13 May 2011 17:36:39 +0000

Interesting indeed – and I applaud the effort to do this based on testing of their products over time, not on aesthetics alone.

Those these closures look beautiful, I know of other wineries that have chosen not to move forward with them because of oxidations issues they’ve experienced during testing. Most bottling lines are not set up to use these ‘automatically’, so hand application is oftentimes necessary.

I’m hopeful that over time, we’ll be able to taste and ‘test’ the Vino Lok and screwcap versions side by side to check out evolution, etc.

Cheers!

By: Christine

Christine — Fri, 13 May 2011 16:12:43 +0000

Sineann also uses the Vino-Seal. They’re beautiful and easy to get out of the bottle.

By: Dave Erickson

Dave Erickson — Fri, 13 May 2011 15:33:23 +0000

Karl Steininger has been using the Vino-Lok on his better Gruner Veltliners for a few years now, as has Josh Jensen at Calera for his Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. I have no idea what the economics of the thing are, but they are classy as can be, and reusable. We save our empties for salad oils.

By: Richard Shaffer

Richard Shaffer — Fri, 13 May 2011 15:14:49 +0000

I love these glass stoppers. They’re beautiful. I often remove label and keep bottles for water on the table and at picnics.