Some wine fans vow to resist screw-top bottles

Yesterday I asked readers' reactions (see item below) to news that even French winemakers may be turning to screw-top bottles -- even on their best wines -- to avoid the problem of cork taint that is ruining so many wines. Here’s a response:

Dear Fred,

I will never buy an expensive red wine in a screw-top bottle. Part of the enjoyment of wine is when the sommelier comes to your table and ceremoniously cuts away the capsule and, with that little pop, pulls the cork. If I’m going to pay those big restaurant markups, I want something for it.

Jane Brow, Hallandale

Dear Jane,

I feel your pain. I’ve heard that some sommeliers have been working on how to elegantly open screw-top bottles. It seems that, if you position your wrist and hand around the bottle just right, you can twist the bottle open so the click is heard and the bottle label is precisely facing the customer. And just before doing that, the sommelier tells the customer, “Now, just listen for the click of quality.”
Think you’d ever buy into that?
Fred

Question: Does anybody have suggestions for how to cope if screw-tops ever become ubiquitous? If so, click on the “comments” Icon below and tell us.

Comments

[Eric]

I think if the best winemakers start to use screw tops, these more convenient bottles will gain the respect they deserve.