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    Food for Thought

    Wrestling with the great wine debate of our age: Corks versus screw caps is put to ultimate test

    Marene Gustin
    Mar 9, 2013 | 5:43 pm

    Ah, springtime in Texas. When thoughts turn to . . . well, not love exactly, but wine. But who doesn’t love wine? In particular the dozens of wine festivals that abound in the Lone Star State.

    And several of them include the word Uncorked in the title. Which makes sense since natural corks used to be the only way you could judge a good bottle of wine.

    Certainly we all remember the days when a screw cap was only found on a fruity bottle of Boone’s Farm an underage drinker conned someone with a real ID into buying at a convenience store for them. Not that I would have any real knowledge of that.

    But today more and more wines are bottled with screw caps. Including one of my favorite whites, the Oyster Bay Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand. It’s a delightfully crisp white with a just a hint of fruit. It’s served at a couple of local restaurants I frequent, I always ordered it at the old Alto in West Ave which will soon house the new Del Frisco’s Grille, set to open March 16. Don’t know if they’ll offer the Oyster Bay wine, but there’s still Frank’s Americana Revival, which has it.

    Sure, there is a mystique about popping a cork on a fine bottle of wine, but it’s easier and often better to just twist and pour.

    Last time I was there the waiter brought the bottle and opened it, poured a tasting of it and then settled it in a wine bucket after pouring full glasses. We chatted briefly about corks versus screw caps and he commented that today the topper doesn’t indicate the quality.

    And I agree. Unless you’re collecting high priced vintage wines, screw caps can actually be better.

    First, they’re easier to open. I can’t tell you how many times I struggled at home to open a cork and then had it break still half in the bottle. And then you have to dig it out and strain the wine because there are bits of cork floating in the liquid. Plus they actually close up better than trying to re-stuff a cork into an opened bottle.

    Sure, there is a mystique about popping a cork on a fine bottle of wine, but it’s easier and often better to just twist and pour. At least at home if you don’t have a sommelier uncorking it for you.

    Wine Science

    Natural corks have been used in spirit bottles since the 1600s when a Benedictine monk called Dom Perignon started using them to seal his sparkling wine bottles. Over the centuries cork has been the stopper of choice for wines but due to price hikes and occasional cork contamination other means have come into widespread use.

    And now there’s a new study going on at the University of California Davis, started last year, to evaluate corks, synthetic corks and screw caps. The team, including a wine chemist, a medical radiologist and a biomedical engineer, are evaluating 600 bottles of Sauvignon Blanc being stored in a temperature-controlled wine cellar at 20 degrees Celsius (68 degrees Fahrenheit). Each of the bottles will be tested for darkening in wine color at three-month intervals during the 12-month study.

    Frankly, I buy wine and drink it shortly thereafter. So I go for wine I like and wine that I can easily open, hence the screw caps.

    Earlier research in Australia has demonstrated that the color of white wine is a reliable indicator of the degree of oxidation. This summer they will begin taste testing the wines to determine if drinkers can discern a difference.

    The idea isn’t to declare a winner.

    "Ultimately, when all of the data are in, we won’t be declaring that one type of closure is superior to another," wine chemist Andrew Waterhouse says. "Rather we’ll be giving winemakers information about the variability of each type so that they can determine which is most appropriate for use in bottling their wines."

    Apparently different types of stoppers can affect oxidation, color and taste over time. And while this is a very scientific study, you can try your own tests at home.

    That’s assuming you can store the various wines at a climate-controlled temperature for several months.

    Frankly, I buy wine and drink it shortly thereafter. So I go for wine I like and wine that I can easily open, hence the screw caps. Although I need to get an easy-to-use corkscrew because I’ve just discovered a corked bottle of Mer Soleil Silver, a wonderful 2011 Chardonnay that is like drinking butter.

    It'll be worth the effort.

    unspecified
    news/restaurants-bars

    Drop it like it's hot

    Houston farmers market adds new indoor pickleball court with food and cocktails

    Brianna Griff
    Jun 18, 2025 | 1:00 pm
    Drop Shots HTX indoor pickleball courts
    Photo by Abante Photography
    Drop Shots HTX celebrates its grand opening this Saturday, June 21.

    Pickleball isn’t going anywhere — the racquet sport continues to score with Houstonians. The newest player on the city’s crowded court, Drop Shots HTX, stands out for one big reason: it’s entirely indoors.

    Drop Shots HTX indoor pickleball courts
      

    Photo by Abante Photography

    Drop Shots HTX celebrates its grand opening this Saturday, June 21.

    Opening June 21, Drop Shots HTX is the brainchild of hospitality veterans Roveen Abante (Conservatory Galleria, Duchess), Chase Lovullo (Conservatory Galleria), and Shawn Outlaw.

    “We didn’t just want to open a bar,” co-founder Roveen Abante said in a statement. “We built a space where people connect, whether they’re playing or not. There’s something for everyone here.”

    Drop Shots HTX is marking its grand opening on June 21 from 12-11 pm, offering all-day open play for $5 along with $5 food and drink specials. Live DJs and giveaways will add to the experience.

    Patrons can soak up the A/C while slapping balls across one of the six professional-grade indoor courts. Off the court, guests can engage in friendly competitions of skee-ball, ping pong, arcade basketball, and cornhole in the second-floor lounge. Nine screens make up one wall in the mezzanine, ideal for catching the latest game, or can be expanded into one 195-inch television.

    Clutch City Kitchen will keep the players' appetite at bay with pizzas, sandwiches, and acai bowls. For hydration, an indoor/outdoor full bar will have 10 signature pickleball-themed cocktails, mocktails, and fresh juices crafted from local fruits and veggies.

    “Some venues lean into serious competition, we lean into fun,” added co-founder Shawn Outlaw. “We’re the only indoor pickleball facility inside the Loop with a full bar, kitchen, lounge, and patio. But more than that, we’re the only one that feels like your new favorite neighborhood hangout, even if you never touch a paddle.”

    Events like Glow-in-the-Dark Fridays, Tacos and Tequila Saturdays, and Pancakes and Pickball mornings add a twist to the typical pickleball match. Bring the kids—the venue is family-friendly until 10pm.

    “We created Drop Shots HTX because we fell in love with a game that brings generations together,” Outlaw said. “From our 10-year-olds to our 65-year-old parents, pickleball is for everyone. And so is this space.”

    Drop Shots HTX is located at 2520 Airline Drive, Building A, Suite 100. It’s open Monday through Thursday from 12-11pm, Friday from 12 pm-12 am, and Saturday and Sunday from 11 am-11 pm.

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