The premox problem has been tormenting the Burgundy wine market for years and what seems like decades, and while different techniques have reduced the problem significantly there are still things to discuss – one is the development of the wines given the closure used. Will the wine age normally?, will it age?, will it age slowly?
Let me be honest – I do not always have the answer about the future development of a wine given the closure the wine grower has chosen – actually this is rather complex to say the least..
I have however attended different tests with different closures – and this certainly tell the story of potentially large differences – and than it does make a difference whats at the end of the neck so to speak!
I do see more and more different closures and I often wonder if all these have been well tested for durability and development of the wine in the long run.
I see red wines changing to new closures – for apparently no or little reason, and introducing a new unknown parameter into the development of the wines.
One can easily accept changes of closure if one have a reason like premox, but sometimes – especially with the reds – I see no apparent reason .. aside from the cost perhaps!?.
Cost can be a good reason – if the wine is cheap or even relatively affordable.
But I would really really hate to see a producers choosing closure due to a minor price difference between the best possible closure and the cheapest or more economically viable alternative – on say wines priced at 50 EUR or more.
Wines in this price range should have the time and possibility to age in bottle – and the choice of closure and implementation of the closure in the vinification should indeed reflect this.
I do expect the producers want the best for us – rather than cutting the marginal cost on the more expensive wines… but I do also sadly see examples where I see some clouds of doubt hanging over some estate.
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