Bottle Fermented Sparkling Wine: Cork or Crown Closures During the Second Fermentation?

Bottle-fermented sparkling wine producers are continuously striving to increase quality and produceniche products. One production tool that could be used is a cork closure instead of crown cap closureduring the second fermentation maturation on yeast lees. Anecdotal evidence suggests thisleads stylistic differences in wine. Six pairs South African bottle-fermented wines(Méthode Cap Classique), closed by either or cap, were investigated. Analyses includedbottle pressure, infrared spectroscopy, phenolic acids, sensory attributes CO2 kinetics. Generally,there between cork-closed crown-capped wines. Cork-closed wines tended tohave lower pressure compared wines, albeit still well within legal requirements. Otherdifferences evident spectral data polyphenol profile analysed wines.Levels gallic, caftaric, caffeic p-coumaric acids collectively as marker compounds todifferentiate The effect was also thesensory judged have smaller bubbles longeraftertaste. It shown lose from glass slower after beingpoured than their counterparts. tentatively support anecdotal thatcork can during lees change style ofbottle-fermented