Italian estate first to use glass stopper

The Manincor estate in Lake Caldaro, near Bolzano, will be the first Italian producer to use glass closures on his wines.

The 30ha estate, owned by Count Michael Graf Goéss-Enzenberg, is reckoned a rising star, with a modern approach to winemaking. Manincor’s new €6.5m underground, ultra-technological winery opened in 2004.

‘Glass stoppers are aesthetically appealing as well as being functional,’ Enzenberg said, adding that when he was a student of oenology he had thought about making a glass stopper and patenting the idea.

The glass closure to be adopted by Enzenberg has been designed by the German firm Alcoa and includes a silicone which is intended to guarantee an airtight closure.

The bottles and the bottling plant will have to be modified to adapt to the larger neck of the bottle. Once the glass stopper is in place an aluminium cap will be placed over it.

‘In addition to the advantages of avoiding TCA spoilage, the glass closure is attractive and costs less than a cork,’ Enzenberg said. ‘A cork costs on average 60 cents and a glass closure will cost 40 cents.’

Written by Michele Shah