The screw cap is gaining ground

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Some countries have gladly embraced the screw cap while the increase in other countries is slower. Wine consumer’s preferences are very different when it comes to choosing between natural cork and screw cap. The screw cap is, however, gaining ground everywhere even if the major wine countries France, Spain and Italy still prefer natural cork. But in the past five years the screw cap has increased dramatically in France.

In France, the use of screw cap increased from 12% in 2008 to 31% in 2013. In Germany, the corresponding figures were 29% and 47%, in Italy 17% and 19%, in Spain 7% and 10%, in UK 45% and 52% and in the USA 30% and 43%.

These numbers seem very high, not least in view of what we see in shops in e.g. France, but it is what is claimed in this report: terredevins.com. The numbers apparently come from a marketing organisation for screw caps, which perhaps is the explanation.

One should also keep in mind that it is not so simple as to say “screw cap is simply better” (as it is sometimes said in particular in markets that favour that closure). Screw cap is different. It eliminates some issues but creates others. And the evolution of the wine is different.

Wine screw cap
Wine screw cap, copyright BKWine Photography

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2 Responses

  1. Hey Per & Britt,

    Does the data above represent market share based on the total volume of the market, or the amount of wineries using a particular closure type?

    I think it’s the former, because when I look at the numbers for the US it’s more or less consistent with the amount of wineries that use a screw cap. When you look at the overall volume in the market, however, usage of the screw cap is actually much smaller at only around ~8% (ie. the big selling brands still aren’t using a screw cap).

    1. Tim,

      That is quite possible. Not sure what the exact definitions are in this study. We have not seen the source material. I would in any case take it with a big pinch of salt, since it comes from someone advocating screwcap.

      The numbers look far too high compared to other numbers I recall seeing. But your reasoning makes it perhaps a bit more plausible; that any winery that has used screw cap for anything, be it just a small cuvee or perhaps even just testing, land on the “yes we use screwcap” side.

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