In what is being described a 'brave move', Portuguese giant Sogrape is putting one of its major wines under screwcap. "This is not the first Portuguese wine to go under screwcap, but they are quite rare," James Forbes, marketing director of importer Stevens Garner told Decanter.com. "For the biggest wine company in Portugal to do this is quite rare. Its a slightly maverick & quite a brave, move. It might not be well-received by the rest of the industry." Forbes was referring to the fact Sogrape - which makes wine all over Portugal, as well as owning Finca Flichmann in Argentina, might feel pressured to support its home country's cork industry. Portugal produces half of the world's natural cork & supplies over 80% of cork closures for wine. Over the last decade natural cork has seen its market share decline. It accounted for 69% of the 18BN wine closures sold in 2009, with screwcaps taking 11% & plastic corks 20%. Ten years ago, over 95% of bottles used natural cork. In regions which have embraced screwcap wholeheartedly, such as New Zealand, more than 90% of wines are sealed with it.
