Jan 23 2012 --- Nomacorc, the world’s leading producer of alternative wine closures, announced the launch of Select 100, its most advanced, high-performance co-extruded cork to date. Distinctively engineered with a patented, two-phased oxygen management control, the Select 100 wine closure is designed for fragile wines and is well-suited for wines requiring extended aging, like full-bodied red wines.

“The Select 100 will be a game-changer for winemakers, especially for those who think screw cap or microagglomerated closures are most appropriate for their winemaking style,” said Malcolm Thompson, global vice president of marketing and innovation at Nomacorc. “Using the results from years of technical research, we’ve developed an impressive product that creates a low-oxygen environment while addressing reductive characteristics using smart technology.”

Reduction, which describes the presence of highly unpleasant sulfur compounds, occurs due to a lack of oxygen ingress through the closure post-bottling and is often associated with screw cap closures.

“Select 100 provides oxygen ingress levels close to zero during the initial stages of wine development, then introduces a very low and consistent level of oxygen during later stages of maturation, when wines are most susceptible to reduction,” said Dr. Stéphane Vidal, Nomacorc’s global director of enology. “Through this breakthrough process, which manages oxygen in two discrete phases, Select 100 maximizes aroma preservation and freshness while preventing the formation of undesirable sulfur off-notes.”

Nomacorc’s research partnerships with leading wine institutes around the world have continued to prove that the management of oxygenmore throughout the winemaking process is crucial to achieving optimal wine aroma, flavor, structure and color. Furthermore, wine closure selection directly affects the chemical and sensory development of wine.

At the forefront of oxygen management science, Nomacorc is committed to providing winemakers with the tools and resources to make wine just as they intend.

Notably, Nomacorc developed NomaSense, an effective, nondestructive evaluative tool that accurately measures oxygen and can be used by wineries to bring bottling lines under control, extend a wine’s shelf life, improve bottle-aging consistency and permit closures to perform optimally. Nomacorc also recently introduced NomaSelector™, an innovative software tool that uses a scientific model to recommend a closure tailored for a specific wine based on factors such as grape variety, region, winemaking style and desired shelf life.

“Above all else, we have winemaker intention in mind,” said Thompson. “We want to create products and tools and initiate research that supports winemakers in their quest to make their perfect wine.”

The Select 100 closure rounds out Nomacorc’s comprehensive solutions for the complex oxygen management requirements of various wines. Tailored to eliminate fault in winemaking, the Select Series consists of four unique products – the 700, 500, 300 and, now, 100 – each designed to play a specific role in post-bottling oxygen management, wine preservation and development.