The problem of cork taint in expensive champagne and bottle-fermented sparkling wine is an issue that seems to sweep under the radar of current discussion about that cork taint problem. Now two leading ' New World' subsidiaries of a famous champagne house have taken the bold step of dropping cork closures for top cuvees, reports the South African web site, www.grape.co.za.

Both Green Point in Australia and Domaine Chandon of California - offshoots of the French Moët et Chandon champagne house - have released premium sparkling wines with, yes, crown seals atop their fancy packaging.

Leaving other sparkling wines far behind on the closure issue - the pop of the bubbly's cork being one of the really contentious topics in the market - the Chandon companies backed their changeovers with superb packaging as well as in-your-face advertising.

Green Point Z*D is a 'zero dosage' sparkling wine, made under supervision of its chief Tony Jordan, and Domaine Chandon Etoile is a five-years-on-the-lees blend made by Chandon's sparkling winemaker, Tom Tiburzi.

Crown seals (that crimped closure found on many beer and cold-drink bottles) have long been part of the process of second fermentation in the bottle. They have been used until disgorgement and the final dosage, when, conventionally, the bubbly is sealed with a multi-layer cork closure.

For the complete story, go to http://www.grape.co.za