The Clare Valley Winemakers have combined with French company Saverglass to offer consumers the opportunity to buy riesling sealed with an artificial Stelcap closure with similar properties to the screw-top Stelvin seal, but with a better appearance and a wider range of riesling bottle colours. Saverglass’ bottle is made specifically for high quality riesling and is available in a range of colours. The accompanying capsules are made by French concern Pechiney, are 60 mm long and can be made to individual winery specifications of colour and print, even for small runs. The Clare Valley Winemakers say their motivation behind the commissioning of these new products are to enable the best examples of their riesling to be aged for a long time with confidence. According to Jeffrey Grosset: ‘This decision is hoped to represent a change in tradition, and for a very good reason. Unscrewing a cap, rather than pulling a cork, will indicate an assurance of quality – whatever quality went in will be unaffected. The uncertainty of whether the wine has been tainted by cork will be eliminated.’ Producers who will use the Stelcap closure for their 2000 rieslings include Grosset, Mount Horrocks, Mitchell, Knappstein and Taylors.
