Korken Schiesser certified

The Austrian-based Amorim Group company, Korken Schiesser, has been certified by the British Retail Consortium/Institute of Packaging (BRC/IOP).

The BRC/IOP Standard is a guideline for manufacturers of food packaging. It addresses both hygiene management and quality control in line with HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points) principles.

Korken Schiesser not only manages the quality of its products and services, but also evaluates its systems through the independent institute, Quality Austria.

"A lot can be promised, including quality. Only very few can consistently guarantee quality," said Korken Schiesser quality manager Thomas Peroutka.

Korken Schiesser quality manager Thomas Peroutka (left) and general manager Guenther Schiesser with the BRC/IOP certificate.

Academy in Vinexpo

The Amorim Academy held a successful debate at the last Vinexpo on the topic: Influence of wine packaging and the consumer: Environmental constraints? Forseeable evolutions?

The debate panel included Corticeira Amorim chairman and CEO António Amorim, Vinexpo president Jean-Marie Chadronnier, Groupe Auchan wine buyer Olivier Mouchet, Vitop director of marketing Patrick Shea, St Gobbain marketing and sales manager Emmanuel Auberger and Wine Intelligence director Brian Howard.

The group discussed the use and consumption of different types of packaging, the economical weight of packaging formats as well as their environmental impact, the concerns of consumers and future developments in the packaging industry. Over 150 people participated in the debate forum.

Amorim Academy debates are a regular feature at Vinexpo in line with the organisation’s charter to generate discussion on issues concerning the wine industry.

A report on the latest debate is available on www.academie-amorim.com

The Amorim technical workshops were well attended by industry professionals.

Workshopping wine faults

Earlier this year Amorim hosted a workshop series on wine faults in the United States and South Africa featuring leading sensory scientist and consulting winemaker Dr Pascal Chatonnet.

The workshops provided 350 industry professionals with an opportunity to evaluate some of the more troubling faults in wine. Chatonnet discussed an array of taint agents, from their origins to preventative measures.

One of the more telling demonstrations was the influence of copper to reduce volatile sulfur compounds in sauvignon blanc. Two wine samples, one containing 20 ng/L of dimethyl sulfide (DMS) and the other 100 ng/L, were treated with copper. The results showed that while the copper did reduce DMS, it also removed the wine’s fruity character.

Chatonnet said winemakers should not to try to manage the risk of post-bottling ‘negative reductive evolution’ by increasing the oxidative status of the wine or treating it with copper, but instead should focus on prevention by appropriate viticulture and winemaking practices.

Pride in closure

Spanish wineries continue to highlight their preference for cork as a closure on product packaging.

Bodegas del Muni, a family-owned winery located in Villatobas, Toledo, south of Madrid is proudly displaying the ‘Cork Mark’ developed by the European Cork Federation (C.E. Liège) on its latest releases.

Portocork goes green

Amorim Group company Portocork America is building on its green credentials with a commitment to minimise its environmental impact through new water and energy conservation practices and solid waste reduction at its Napa Valley facility. The move is part of a push to become a ‘Certified Green Business’.

“Portocork America remains committed to natural cork which is the only natural, renewable, biodegradable and recyclable wine closure,” said Portocork America’s president Dustin Mowe.

“Along with our parent company we understand that the environment is in danger and we are committed to fulfilling our century-old tradition of being in harmony with nature with both our sustainable product and our environmental consciousness.”

Portocork America is based at a new state-of-the-art facility which holds in excess of 50 million corks in storage. It is implementing several changes to its operations including energy conservation practices, environmentally friendly packaging, pollution prevention, solid waste reduction and recycling.

The Great Cork Debate

Amorim played a leading role in ‘The Great Cork Debate’ held at Copia, the American Center for Wine, Food & the Arts, as part of the Napa Harvest Festival in October.

Communications and marketing director Carlos de Jesus was one of four panelists at the debate which was moderated by George Taber, author of To Cork or Not to Cork.

The other members were Randall Grahm (Bonny Doon Vineyard), Bruno de Saizieu (Alcan Packaging Capsules) and Pascal Chatonnet (Excell Laboratory).

“The position of cork was enhanced during the debate,” Mr de Jesus said.

The position of cork was enhanced at ‘The Great Cork Debate’.