Ever Wonder? How Should You Open a Wine Bottle Sealed with Wax?

Last time we looked at some of the reasons why a wine bottle might have a wax seal over the cork. Now, to the question of how best to remove the wax so that the cork can be extracted. Here are a few options:

Probably the easiest way to remove a wax seal is if it is actually one that has a built-in tab that can be pulled - just like the foil on a Champagne bottle. Just lift the tab, pulled it around the neck of the bottle and the cap will easily come off and expose the top of the cork. But, this type of seal is actually rare. So, if you are not so lucky, there are several other options for dealing with a wax capsule.

If the wax is soft and malleable, you just might be able to peel off the wax like a foil capsule. Or, carefully use a wine opener’s knife to cut off the top of the wax seal and expose the cork.

Another approach that can be used with soft wax is to simply insert a cork screw right through the top of the wax seal and pull out the cork and wax cap simultaneously.

Now, if the wax is very hard and almost like a hard plastic there are a couple of options. First, you can try to softening the wax by holding the bottle upside down and running hot water over just the upper neck of the bottle. In this case, try to just get the capsule warm and softened without heating the entire bottle. Then peel away the softened wax or go right through it with the corkscrew.

Or, the last-ditch technique for dealing with hard wax is to just start digging away at the top. Ideally, use the knife of a corkscrew to chip away at the wax until you’ve fully exposed the top of the cork.

A wax seal on a wine bottle may look very elegant but at the same time it can make the bottle difficult to deal with. But, stay patient. There’s a nice glass of wine just waiting for you on the other side of the wax-sealed cork! Cheers!

Behind the Cork™ - Josh White Wines

Josh White Wines

Josh Cellars is produced by Joseph Carr who named his wines “Josh” for his father.

Josh Cellars is produced as a negociant brand. That means they don’t actually own a winery or any vineyards. At first that might seem odd. But, it’s actually much like some of the world’s greatest chateaux in Bordeaux and Burgundy France.

As a negociant, they work with California’s best growers to acquire grapes from select vineyards in California’s most prestigious appellations––Napa Valley’s Rutherford, Stags Leap District, Oakville, Coombsville, Mt. Veeder, and Carneros AVAs, along with Paso Robles to the south. Then, they allow their winemaker, Wayne Donaldson, to make their wines using his experience of over a decade making sparkling wine at one of the world’s largest and most prestigious champagne house where blending is essential to making great wines.

2021 Josh Cellars Pinot Grigio ($14.99)

This Pinot Grigio is straw color with aromas of pear, cantaloupe and minerals. On the palate it has flavors of green apple with bright acidity and an easy finish. (12.5% ABV)

2020 Josh Cellars Sauvignon Blanc ($14.99)

The Sauvignon Blanc is a pale straw yellow in color with aromas of grapefruit, honeydew and citrus. On the palate it has bright flavors of pineapple and tropical fruit with refreshing acidity that lingers. (13% ABV)

2020 Josh Cellars Chardonnay ($14.99)

This Chardonnay is pale gold in color with aromas of pear and baked apple. On the palate it has bright fruit flavors with a touch of lemon zest. It is balanced with 10% new French oak to add just a hint of oak. This Chardonnay does undergo malolactic conversion to give it a soft mouth-feel but still retains it fruit-forward flavors.

Each of these wines is fermented in stainless steel tanks to maximize the varietal expression, preserve aromas and produce their wines in the signature Josh Cellars style - fruit forward and a long finish. They are affordable and attainable making them a great fit as Behind the Cork™ Wines of the Week. Cheers!

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Disclosure of Wine Sample Submission: I received these samples at no cost for review. The opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Samples Provided by Joseph Carr Wines (via Donna White Communications)

Ever Wonder? Why Are Some Wine Bottles Sealed with Wax?

Occasionally, you may come across a wine bottle that has a wax seal over the top of the cork that somewhat covers the neck of the bottle. You may have wondered “Why is it sealed in wax?” and “How do I remove the wax so that I can get to the cork?” These are a couple of great questions to explore.

Most wine bottles today have a capsule cover the cork that goes part-way down the neck of the bottle. In the not so distant past, these were made from lead but are now manufactured from aluminum or a heat-shrinkable plastic.

Whatever the material, these wine bottle capsules serve several purposes. Originally, a capsule was used to protect the cork from insects and varmints when being transported by ship or being stored in caves. And, wax was sometime used as a seal over the cork to keep it from leaking.

With today’s availability of good quality cork, plastic corks and twist-off caps, it’s generally not necessary to add a wax seal. But, some wine producers do use it. Today the wax is used to either provide an air-tight seal for wines that are meant to be aged for long periods of time or they are used as ‘high-end’ decoration for otherwise ordinary wines.

So, these wax seals can either be functional or decorative. But, how do you get through the wax to be able to pull the cork? We’ll address that next time. Until then, Cheers!

Behind the Cork™ - Monte Velho Wines

These Monte Velho wines are from Portugal’s Esporão Group. Both are produced from blends of grapes from Portugal’s Alentejo region. This region, in eastern Portugal, covers approximately one-third of the country and is best known for its red wines. But, whites and rosés are rapid-growing segments.

Monte Velho (MON-tay VELL-yo), meaning “old mound,” references a high point on the property, capped by the ancient fort depicted on their labels.

2021 Monte Velho White ($12): This wine is a blend of Alentejo’s unique grapes: 40% Antão Vaz, 20% Perrum, and 40% Roupeiro. Antão Vaz, a full-bodied white, is known for its vibrant tropical fruit flavors while Roupeiro adds citrus notes and acidity. These two big-flavored grapes are softened by Perrum, a grape known as a low-sugar producer. This white blend is pale gold in color with aromas of tropical fruit, green apple and hints of citrus. On the palate it is soft with delicate flavors, medium acidity and a refreshing finish.

2021 Monte Velho Rosé ($12): This wine is the most recent addition to the Monte Velho wines, making its U.S. debut in spring 2022 with the 2021 vintage. It is produced from a combination of red grapes (Touriga Nacional, Aragonez, Syrah, Trincadeira and Tinta Caiada) and white (Arinto). This Monte Velho Rosé is a medium salmon color with aromas of strawberry and citrus notes. On the palate it has flavors of cherry and raspberry, good acidity and a light and refreshing finish. At 1 gm/l of residual sugar and 12.5% ABV, this is a dry wine yet it has sweet fruit flavors.

Both of these wines are certified vegan by the European Vegetarian Union. Being affordable and attainable, these wines are a great fit as Behind the Cork™ Wines of the Week. Cheers!

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Disclosure of Wine Sample Submission: I received these samples at no cost for review. The opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Samples Provided by Esporão Group (via Creative Palate Communications)

Wine Scores: What About Those Below 80 Points?

I was recently asked by a reader to address wine scores. The reader asked “…where do you buy a wine that is rated 50-74? I have never seen a wine rated at that level. Do they exist?” Great question!

There are several major wine scoring systems in use including those from Wine Spectator, Wine Enthusiast, and Robert Parker. These systems rely on individual wine tasters who are involved in tasting thousands of wines each year. Not every wine produced - just the ones from wine producers that are seeking a high score from one of these ratings organizations.

While the rating systems vary, the one at Wine Spectator uses the following criteria to score a wine:

• 95-100 Classic: a great wine

• 90-94 Outstanding: a wine of superior character and style

• 85-89 Very good: a wine with special qualities

• 80-84 Good: a solid, well-made wine

• 75-79 Mediocre: a drinkable wine that may have minor flaws

• 50-74 Not recommended

So, you clearly see that wines rated 80 points and above are at least “a solid, well-made wine.” But, below 80 points they are “Mediocre” and at 75 points or below they are “Not recommended.” So, if a winery submits a wine for a rating score and receives a score below 80 points, you are probably never going to hear about it. Those wines still get offered for sale, but the producer simply chooses not to identify their score (why would they!).

So the answer to the question is that there are plenty of wines with scores in the 50 to 75 point range. The bottles are likely on store shelves and probably located down around ground level (the best wines always get put on the top shelves) and priced low.

But realize, these scores are very subjective and being assigned by wine experts that get the opportunity to taste a lot of exceptional wines. The ones they consider “Mediocre” or are “Not recommended” are wines that you and I just might enjoy! So, don’t let wine scores, or the lack of a wine score, keep you from enjoying wines from across the spectrum. Cheers!