Newberg — To Peter Rosback’s way of thinking, something had to be done. “I didn’t like what cork was doing to wine,” says the winemaker and owner of Sineann, a Yamhill Valley maker of boutique wines. He wasn’t crazy about the screw-cap option, so kept his eyes open for something else. A few years ago he heard about the glass cork, made by German manufacturer Alcoa. Last summer, he tried it on a few cases of wine and he’s been pleased with the results. The closures, which cost about 70 cents per bottle compared to a high of 50 cents for a traditional cork, are fully recyclable, preserve the ceremony of opening a bottle of wine and don’t interfere with its chemistry or character. “Every single winery that has tried this closure has ordered more,” reports Laura Clark, marketing manager for Alcoa. So far one other Oregon winery, Solena of Carlton, has also converted. Will it catch on? “I’m not the best one to ask,” says Rosback. “There are a lot of idiots out there.”
— Christina Williams
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