Glass Wine Stoppers – What Will They Think of Next
Glass wine corks are revolutionizing the wine industry with their blend of tradition and innovation. Unlike traditional corks, these elegant glass stoppers provide an airtight seal, preserving the wine’s flavor and quality without the risk of cork taint. Their refined and reusable closures enhance the aesthetic appeal of wine bottles, adding a touch of sophistication to the wine experience.
They also promote sustainability by reducing waste. Perfect for both collectors and casual enthusiasts, glass corks offer a modern touch to an age-old practice. Whether savoring a rare vintage or sharing a casual bottle with friends, glass wine corks ensure every sip is as the winemaker intended. Explore how this stylish and practical alternative shapes the future of wine preservation and presentation.
Why Are Some Wineries Using Glass Wine Corks
Some wineries are opting for glass wine corks for several compelling reasons:
- Elimination of Cork Taint: Traditional corks can sometimes cause cork taint, a musty flavor due to a compound called TCA (trichloroanisole). Glass corks eliminate this risk, ensuring the wine’s purity and intended flavor profile.
- Airtight Seal: Glass stoppers provide an excellent airtight seal, which helps preserve the wine’s freshness and quality over time.
- Sustainability: Glass stoppers are reusable and recyclable, making them an environmentally friendly alternative to traditional corks and synthetic stoppers.
- Aesthetic Appeal: Glass corks add a touch of elegance and modernity to wine bottles, enhancing their visual appeal and making them stand out on shelves.
- Consistency: Glass stoppers offer consistent sealing performance, reducing the variability that can sometimes occur with natural corks.
- Innovation and Branding: Using glass corks allows wineries to position themselves as innovative and forward-thinking, appealing to a market that values tradition and modern advancements.
Cost
Glass wine stoppers generally cost more than traditional cork wine stoppers. The reasons for the higher cost include:
- Material: Glass is more expensive to produce and process than natural cork.
- Manufacturing Process: Producing glass stoppers involves more complex and precise manufacturing techniques.
- Design and Aesthetic: Glass stoppers’ elegant design adds to their cost, as they are often seen as premium and luxury closures.
- Additional Components: Glass stoppers usually come with accompanying components, such as rubber or silicone rings, to ensure an airtight seal, adding to the overall cost.
Despite the higher cost, many wineries and consumers consider the benefits—such as eliminating cork taint, sustainability, and enhanced aesthetic appeal—worth the investment.
Who Makes Glass Wine Stoppers?
Several manufacturers produce glass wine stoppers, catering to the wine industry’s demand for functionality and aesthetics. Some notable manufacturers include:
- Vinoseal: Vinoseal is a prominent manufacturer of glass closures specifically designed for wine bottles. They offer various designs and customization options to meet wineries’ needs.
- Vino-Lok: Vino-Lok produces glass closures that combine a modern aesthetic with practical sealing properties. Their closures are widely used by wineries looking for premium and sustainable alternatives.
- SupremeCorq: SupremeCorq produces glass cork closures that aim to provide a superior seal and eliminate issues associated with traditional corks. They offer options for customization and branding.
- Saver Glass: Saver Glass specializes in glass packaging solutions, including glass wine stoppers. They provide closures that enhance the presentation and preservation of wines.
These manufacturers are recognized for their innovation in producing glass closures that offer benefits such as improved wine preservation, aesthetic appeal, and sustainability compared to traditional cork stoppers.
Well Know Wineries Using Them
Several famous wineries and wines have embraced glass wine stoppers as a modern, premium closure option. Here are a few examples:
- Château Margaux: This prestigious Bordeaux winery has experimented with glass wine stoppers for some of its bottles, highlighting its commitment to quality and innovation in wine preservation.
- Montes Alpha M: The Montes Alpha M, a premium red wine from Chile, is known for using glass wine stoppers. This choice reflects their dedication to maintaining the wine’s integrity and purity.
- Antinori Tignanello: Tignanello, a renowned Super Tuscan wine produced by Marchesi Antinori, is another example of glass wine stoppers that have been utilized. This decision aligns with their focus on modern winemaking practices and sustainability.
These examples illustrate how some of the world’s leading wineries are adopting glass wine stoppers to enhance both the presentation and preservation of their wines, catering to discerning consumers who value innovation and quality in wine packaging.
Can They Be Reused?
Yes, glass wine stoppers can be reused. One significant advantage of using glass stoppers is their durability and reusability.
After removing the stopper from a bottle of wine, it can be washed and reused for another bottle. This makes glass stoppers a sustainable choice compared to traditional cork stoppers, which are typically single-use.
Proper care, such as cleaning and ensuring the stopper remains intact, can extend its lifespan and usability, making it a practical option for both consumers and wineries looking to reduce waste and environmental impact.
Have You Come Across A Glass Wine Cork Lately?
I’m interested to know how many of you have seen this new type of wine closure and what wines you find it on. Please let me know in the comments section.
71 Responses
We came across our first glass cork in a bottle of Bugay Long Stem Rose (Sonoma). It is quite elegant and allowed us to close up the bottle with half remaining with no problem at all. Seems like a great idea finally happening.
2009 Grey Stack Sauv Blanc love it!
I was startled by one in a 2009 Utopia viognier. (Utopia is an amazing small winery in Oregon.) I’m glad I didn’t try to pry it out with a corkscrew! The sound and feel of it is the most elegant alternative to cork.
Nero D’Avalo by Cusumano – The glass stopper was such a nice little surprise and gave us much to talk about.
I was also startled by the glass cork. It took a couple minutes for me to understand what I was trying to uncork! The Bravante Sauvignon Blanc is fabulous and the glass cork makes it even more elegant.
We live in the rhinegau here in Germany (like Napa Ca) and this glass cork is pretty much standard here. I like it because you can close up your unused nectar and drink it tomorrow. It really works well for all the Rieseling we drink… Yum
Anyone know when I can buy these glass corks???
Found my first one today! 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon from Johnson Estate Winery, Westfield NY
What a shock. Found the glass stopper on a bottle of Red Remy Wine from McMinneville, OR. I like the idea of being able to recap the bottle and not loose any of the flavors of the wine.
Yes -we have come across a glass wine top. I honestly dont remember the wine it came from but we reuse the topper on other wines we want to cover. I wish I could remember the wine -good marketing would to have the name etched on the top because I probably would have bought it again. Also, I think it adds a touch of class or richness to the experience of opening a nice bottle of wine.
We don’t drink a lot of wine, but someone gifted me a bottle or Suhr Luchtel cabernet sauv and I decided to save it for Thanksgiving. Imagine my surprise when, after searching the house for my wine “uncorker” (I told you I don’t drink much wine!), I took off the foil and saw something I’d never seen before. A glass cork. What I really liked about it was that I was able to uncork without an opener! And was able to cork it back up to finish the next day. I give the glass cork a “thumbs up”!
Good morning,
I just open a sicilian wine -NERO D’AVENO- with that type of seal.
The wine was also good.
Thank you,
Claude Martimbeau
Came across our first vino seal ever tonight in a bottle of R Stuart 2008 Pinot Noir
There is a vineyard in Virgina, Glass House, that uses the glass cork on all the bottles.
It is quite common here in Austria with Austrian wines! I quite like it personally, and find it a bit more sophisticated than the regular screw top wines without corks.
Cusumano, Nero d’avila, Sicilian…..
Fun … In Vermont and the inn we are staying at gave us a complimentary bottle of wine. So good.
We make wine and beer and never saw this before.
Husband and I just opened a bottle of Cristom Viognier Estate 2007 from Oregon that had a glass cork. We are not frequent wine drinkers, more beer people, but this was lovely and I am pleased to know that we can re-use the cork!
Also in a Sicilian: Cusumano Insolia. Now I’ll be watching for it in the Nero d’Avola we’ll be opening tonight!
Scaia 2013, an Italian wine from Veneto. A beautiful blend of Garganega and Chadonnay.
Invetro Toscana 2010 Italian red wine
I bought the same wine for an event at my home last weekend. How on earth do you uncork the glass cork? I’ve been trying for days with zero success?
I was just gifted an Invetro Toscana 2018. Was shocked to see a glass stopper, this was a first for me! And the Wine……..really good!
I opened one of these last week, a 2019. I was as surprised.as anyone. Not a wine aficionado by any stretch… Loved the ability to re-seal the bottle effortlessly. The wine was quite good as well! Cheers!
I have seen a few of these over the years but only on Austrian and European imports, specifically the Salomon Stein Kogl Riesling from Austria. there is an elegant simplicity to these stoppers that I enjoy, and in conjunction with the WINESAVE argon gas they work as an excellent cork substitute for other bottled wines
Oakville Cross Cabernet, one of the many great wines in our portfolio, utilizes the vino seal.
I am sure the glass stopper is sufficient to cork a bottle of wine, but vineyards need to consider packaging when shipping glass corked bottles.
My summer allocation from R Sinskey Vineyards came yesterday, and one of the bottles was leaking. This was most likely due to a combination of factors: 1) molded paper shipping spacers, and 2) transport. It appears as though handling from the shipper (FedEx in this case) between the dock, truck and my doorstep was enough to ‘bump’ the cork, breaking the seal.
If a vineyard is to use this technology and ship wine to their members, one should consider styrofoam shipping cradles to firmly secure the bottle in the shipping box.
Cheers!
just opened a wine we bought in Castell Miquel in Mallorca and it has a glass cork, wonderful idea..
Encountered my first glass “cork” this evening in Cusumano Nero D’Avola 2012, an Italian red imported by Terlato Wines.
Gay, they are very cool the first time you come across one.
Not sure how to open it, so I’m scanning this thread for the secret. Terrified I’ll break it. Gerard Bertrand Rose, in a lovely rose-shaped bottle. (Yes, I bought it for the a bottle, hope we like the wine.)
Hi Grace, just twist it off should work.
I found one in Cusumano Syrah…what a fun surprise it was. I’m trying to think of fun ways to reuse those fun corks.
Besides in some work of art, I’m wondering what to do with mine too.
I am learning to facet gemstones. I use these glass corks for practice. They make beautiful “gems” and I have set a couple, which I wear.
Betty, that is very cool. Send me a photo if you don’t mind. I would love to see how they look.
I reuse mine in other bottles. So far they have been very sturdy when I drop them, non have broken yet. I also keep several in a drawer and give them to my friends when they come over for wine.
I’m reusing my bottles and stoppers to make flavored vinegars for gifts..
Great idea Misty. Thanks for sharing.
I just found my first wine cork in an Italian wine from Veneto, which is a nice, smooth medium bodied wine: Tenuta Sant’Antonio Scaia Corvina 2013
Bought a bottle of Gerard Bertrand Cote des Roses at Costo. BEEEAUtiful bottle & product. Wine wasn’t bad, as it turned out, either. We just put together 60 gallons of rose and I thought the bottling in ‘this’ bottle would be outstanding. It’s just gorgeous. However, the only item I can locate is ‘the cork,’ in this case a glass cork. I like the idea, as it gets away from synthetic/short term/long term, 3 different corking machines, and so on. If you’ve a lead on the bottle (which has a rose embedded in the bottom) I would really like to hear where it might be purchased.
thanks
franklin
Tonight I opened a lovely 2014 Chateau De Fabregues Grenache/Syrah blend Rose from the Rhone region of France. To my delight it had a glass cork! I only read of them in my Certified Wine Professional studies.
Nice surprise! Love it!
Been drinking wine for years and finally saw one with a glass cork. Seems superior and classier to any of the alternatives, even cork, given the silicone is of high quality.
Now why not go to 100% glass on glass fittings, as in scientific glass equipment? This would enable the wine to age in a 100% glass environment with no exposure to plastics, cork, silicone, or other agents which will, invariably, on some scale alter the taste.
On a wine-tasting in SE France, off a river cruise, the bottles had glass corks. They gave the corks they used to us! I wish I’d gotten dozens! I love using them to re-cork wine. It lets the bottles stand upright in my refrigerator door shelf. Sorry I don’t remember the name, Chateau “something” I think. I’m going to try to buy some.
Just ran into the glass wine stopper at Remy Wine in the Williamette Valley of Oregon. Good choice. Much more elegant than the screw top. Fine wine as well.
Just opened our Red Remy wine from McMinnville, OR (Willamette Valley) and voila’…. a glass cork!! Love it!!
Folin Cellars outside Medford Oregon uses them. They’re really classy.
That being said, I want to find a way to reuse a few of them. They’re so unique, I thought it would be cool to make something out of them for a wine gala fund raiser. Any ideas?
Thanx
I agree Tina, it would be great to know how to reuse them. I’m sure someone with more artistic talents than I have could come up with a unique art piece.
I discovered my first one last night when opening a bottle of 2015 Scaia Corvina (Familigia Castagnedi). I like the fact that it makes the bottle resealable, and I am going to save it to reclose other wine bottles that are regularly corked. It’s was a delightful discovery – an ingenious alternative to corks, which sometimes crumble or split, and screw tops.
They are fun to look at too.
I just came across my first one in a 2005 Surh Luchtel Syrah (Napa)
They are so cool when you find one.
We were given a bottle of Heinrich Zweigelt 2015 for Christmas and when I removed the foil I was surprised to find a glass cork! That was so cool, but how do I safely remove the cork? (At least I was smart enough not to use my corkscrew!)
Hi Karen, lucky you to find a glass cork. I don’t see them often but smile when I get one. Just pull it out like you would with a cork stopper on a bottle of good bourbon.
I first saw this last weekend in a bottle of Sicilian “Cusumano Nero D’Avola” my bottle resealed wonderfully and I re-stored it in my wine Frig to maintain temperature. Nothing leaked and in fact, it was like re-opening the bottle to serve the remaining wine 3 days later. Flavor was maintained fairly well considering there is air in the bottle. Would love to see these used more often- Nd could they be recycled for re-use?
I have 170 glass corks for wine bottles. How can I sell them?
We came across our first glass cork (that’s why I’m here!) on an Italian wine- Invetro (in vetro means “in glass”, Invetro may just be a name) Renieri, red wine. It states Geografica Tipica, but no region!? Only Red Wine Product of Italy. Hope this is useful info for you.
I’ve been looking for a couple of glass corks for ages. Do you know where I can find one?
I would go to your liquor store and ask if they know of any wines they sell with glass corks. You might also try searching google for “wines with glass corks” and then go purchase a few bottles.
I too am having difficulty removing the glass cork due to arthritic fingers! No luck with this Hampton Water Rose’.. K
Hi Kathie, I wonder if you purchase one of those gadgets to help open bottles. That may help with your Hampton Water Rose.
My sister gave me a bottle of Scaia Garganega/Chardonnay and I put the corkscrew right back in the drawer! Pretty cool!
Those glass wine corks are soooo cool!
Scandalous One, Cabernet Noir, Product of France. What a pleasant surprise this beautiful black glass cork. Love it.
Hi Anita, I have not seen a black glass cork yet. Thanks for sharing.
I just opened a bottle of Heinrich Zweigelt 2017 and it has a beautiful glass cork! Wonderful wine with the added stopper! A must try for anyone!
Aren’t they fun to find?
I buy regularly the Invetro wine that has the glass wine cork/stoppers. Any ideas for what I can do with them? I use regular cork wine corks to make wine cork board trivets but the glass wine corks are heavier and so I don’t believe they would make a good trivet. Any creative ideas out there? If not, will the winery take them back— they seem to be reusable. Thanks!
Hi Rose, I don’t have any ideas for what to do with them. I throw them in my drawer with wine openers, foil cutters, and a bunch of other fun stuff. I like to hold them and twirl them around in my hand. I know that sounds weird, but they have a remarkable feel. I’ll see what I can find about how they can be used.
Surprised to discover our first glass cork on a 2004 Clos de Val Merlot. A friend who drinks lots of reds thought it strange and insisted the wine was bad and the reason likely due to the wine not be sealed properly by this strange cork. The only drawback I see is that if not fully drunk and stored in the refrigerator lyimg on its side, it could come off if jarred by another bottle or a bunch of celery or carrots. Though most wine drinkers would scoff at the idea of not finishing a bottle once opened. We never throw a way wine, it becomes part of our next batch of spaghetti or beef bourguignon. Some of our dinner table conversations/ which become arguments are about whether old wine can be used in cooking. I say “Yes. Don’t waste good wine in cooking when turned wine is plenty good when boiled and simmered for hours., especially when reheated the next day..
I wont reuse these corks on bottles that are store in the fridge. The may slide off and spill the wine when pulled out of the fridge or jarred loose by a bunch of celery! We use old wine for cooking.
Understandable. I typically use a VacuVin to save wine. It removes the air and keeps the wine a little bit fresher.