For wines sealed with screw caps, should we place them horizontally or upright? Peter McCombie, Master of Wine, answers this question.
Harry Rouse from Herefordshire, England asked:
“I recently wanted to buy some New Zealand Pinot Noir to keep in my cellar (both ready and ready to drink). But how should these screw-corked wines be stored? Horizontal storage would be good for cork-sealed wines , but does that apply to screw caps as well? Or are screw cap plugs better for standing?”
Peter McCombie, MW replied:
For many quality-conscious Australian and New Zealand winemakers, the primary reason for choosing screw caps is to avoid cork contamination. But that doesn’t mean screw caps are better than corks.
Today, some screw-cap manufacturers have begun to take advantage of the cork and adjust the seal to allow a small amount of oxygen to enter the bottle and promote the aging of the wine.
But when it comes to storage, it’s a bit more complicated. Some screw cap manufacturers stress that horizontal storage is beneficial for wines sealed with screw caps. Winemakers at a winery that uses both corks and screw caps also tend to store their screw caps horizontally, making it easier for the wine to come in contact with a small amount of oxygen through the screw cap.
If you plan to drink the wine you’ve bought in the next 12 months, it doesn’t make much difference whether you store it horizontally or upright. But beyond 12 months, horizontal storage is a better option.
Post time: Jul-25-2023