Decanter World Wine AwardsScrewcap now 'the norm': new study
- Monday 14 November 2011
(Image: screwcapinitiative.com)
The survey, conducted by research company Wine Intelligence for its 2011 Closures Report, suggests that 85% of the regular wine-drinking population now accepts screwcaps – compared to only 41% in 2003.
Cork remains the most liked closure, but affinity levels have fallen slightly over the past eight years.
While 51% of consumers say they actively like buying wines under cork, 42% like buying screwcapped wines – a figure that has increased sevenfold compared to eight years ago, when 6% of consumers said they actively liked screwcap.
Female wine drinkers in their 30s and 40s are the biggest drivers of screwcap acceptance, along with younger drinkers who have recently entered the wine category.
‘This year’s consumer view on closures suggests that the UK has fundamentally changed over the past eight years,’ said Richard Halstead, Wine Intelligence COO and author of the report.
‘From a market that was actively sceptical – in some cases hostile – towards screwcaps, we now have a situation where they are the norm rather than the exception.’
The research was based on online quota-based surveys of 1,000 adults who drink wine at least once a month, conducted in March 2011.
The full Closures Report also includes similar analysis of closure perceptions in the US and Australia, including data going back to 2007.
Have your say!
The Sediment Blog
November 30 09:40
The question no-one considers (but us) is whether there is any way to remove a screwcap from a bottle with the grace and flair of pulling a cork.
So we considered it: http://www.sedimentblog.blogspot.com/2011/11/how-to-remove-screwcap.html
Jelly Ho
November 28 03:50
Although there are a lot of stongpoint for using Screw cap, many chinese people prefer to Cork. It will tale long time for chinese to change their ideas towards screw cap.
NickName
November 19 22:18
I am an Australian and it has been interesting to see the change in sentiment here. Part of the issue with corks in Australia is that (supposedly), the manufacturers committed their grade A corks to Europe & USA. The screwcap has become a quality assurer here! 10% of my cellar is under cork and it does worry me occasionally.
David
November 16 15:58
Screwcap may be fine for cheapo wines that don't need any cellaring, but any serious wine needs a cork. And I am sure that many wines that are claimed to be "corked" have either been badly stored, or the drinker just doesn't like them. In 50 years of drinking 1000s of wines, I have only ever come across a handful that were corked.