Bye-Bye Wine Rituals?

Filed in archive Wine Tasting on December 8, 2006

Of course, I've finally given up to the idea that corks will make a come back, and I am regularly buying wine now with screwcaps. However, I still haven't had been in the situation yet where I've been dining out and had the server screw open my bottle (shiver). To me, this is what I will miss about the cork the most.

But, I guess I'm alone here because some wine lovers have a totally opposite opinion according to the article, Wine World Turns to Caps:

The wine steward approaches discreetly, reveals a bottle of very expensive Wolf Blass Platinum Label Shiraz and retreats from our table after receiving an approving nod.

He returns several minutes later with an elegant crystal Decanter topped up with the brilliantly coloured red wine. He quickly pours four glasses and withdraws into the ambiance once again.

What's missing from this picture? First of all, there is no popping sound from a cork being liberated from the bottle. There is no useless ritual of placing the freed cork in front of the host's place setting. And, there is no first taste to make sure the wine isn't corked.

THERE IS NO CORK

There is no need for all of that. There is no cork.

This is the brave, new reality.

Granted, this is new and reality today, but brave?