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Twist, Pour, Enjoy: Why Sonoma Coast Now Comes in a Screw Cap
Have you spotted something different about your favorite bottle of La Crema Sonoma Coast Chardonnay or Pinot Noir? If you've noticed that it now has a twist-top closure where a traditional cork used to be, you're not imagining things. It's a small change that can spark big questions (we see you, corkscrew loyalists), and we're excited to share the story behind it.
First things first: The wine inside the bottle has not changed one bit. The Sonoma Coast Chardonnay and Pinot Noir you know and love are crafted with the same hands-on techniques, sourced from the same cool-climate vineyards, and made with the same commitment to quality and sustainability. This transition is not about cutting corners. It's about ensuring that the wine reaches your glass exactly as our winemaking team intended, twist and all. We want you to know why we made the switch, what it means for the wine's aromas, flavors, and ageability, and where to look if you're still devoted to the ritual of pulling a cork.
Why We Made the Switch
When it comes to packaging, every decision we make is guided by quality, sustainability, and the overall wine experience—not by what's trendy at the moment. A screw cap may look like a simple update, but don't let its low-key vibe fool you: There are several meaningful reasons why it's the right fit for our Sonoma Coast wines.
Better Protection for Delicate Aromatics
Sonoma Coast Chardonnay and Pinot Noir are beloved for their vibrant aromatics and expressive character, so we take their protection seriously. Oxygen happens to be one of the biggest enemies of wine, gradually dulling aromas and flavors over time. A screw cap provides a highly consistent seal, helping guard those delicate aromas and precise fruit flavors from oxidation, from the moment the wine is bottled until it's opened and enjoyed. This consistency minimizes bottle-to-bottle variation, letting the bright citrus, orchard fruit, floral, and red berry notes that define these wines shine through, glass after glass. Simply put, it's another way we help ensure a beautifully expressive pour every time.
A More Sustainable Closure
At La Crema, we're always looking for thoughtful ways to reduce our environmental impact while maintaining the highest standards of quality. Screw caps are made of aluminum, so they're infinitely recyclable and hold up beautifully over time without breaking down. Swapping out the energy-intensive cork-and-capsule combination also means a lighter carbon footprint for our packaging. No packaging choice is perfect, but this transition is one of many steps in our broader commitment to responsible stewardship and sustainable innovation. We believe great wine and intentional choices go hand in hand.
Goodbye, Cork Taint
Another compelling benefit of a screw cap closure is that it all but eliminates cork taint, a flaw caused by contamination from certain naturally occurring compounds that can affect traditional corks. It only touches a small percentage of bottles, but when it strikes, it can mute a wine's flavors and leave it smelling musty—hardly the experience anyone's hoping for. Switching to a screw cap helps ensure more bottles are enjoyed exactly as our winemaking team intended. That's good news for wine lovers and winemakers alike.
Bonus: Built-In Resealability & Ease!
Let's be honest: Not every bottle is finished in one evening. One of the most practical advantages of a screw cap is the ability to reseal the bottle in seconds, no hunting for a misplaced cork or wine stopper required.
Screw caps also eliminate the need for a corkscrew, making it easy to bring a bottle of Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir and Chardonnay to the beach, on a picnic, or to your favorite spot for catching the sunset.
However you enjoy it—over two nights or on the go—a screw cap keeps every pour as fresh as the first and makes it easy to open a bottle anywhere.
What This Means for the Wine in Your Glass
The most important thing to know is that the wine itself—its aromas, flavors, and textures—hasn't changed a bit. Our Sonoma Coast Chardonnay and Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir are still crafted with the same dedication to quality, showcasing the elegant balance, bright acidity, and expressive fruit character that have made them favorites among wine lovers. The closure is new; the craftsmanship behind every bottle is not.
What about aging? We mentioned that too much oxygen is the enemy of wine—but too little can cause its own problems, leading a wine to develop volatile sulfur compounds—or rubbery, struck-match aromas. The good news is that modern screw caps can be engineered to allow just the right amount of oxygen transmission for a wine's intended evolution. For Sonoma Coast Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, crafted to offer exceptional enjoyment within their recommended drinking windows, a screw cap provides an excellent environment for preserving freshness, aromatics, and balance.
As the transition rolls out, you may spot both cork-finished and screw-cap bottles sitting side by side on store shelves. That's completely normal—packaging updates happen gradually as existing vintages sell through and newer releases arrive. During this period, you may see the same wine packaged in different ways, but rest assured both reflect the exact same commitment to quality.
Still Team Cork? We've Got You Covered.
We know that for many wine lovers, opening a bottle is about more than what's in the glass. The pop of a cork can be part of the ritual, the anticipation, and the experience—and honestly, it's a pretty satisfying sound. We're not here to take that away from you.
That's one reason why many wines across the La Crema portfolio continue to be bottled under cork, including our select appellation wines, single-vineyard wines, and favorites such as the Russian River Valley Pinot Noir. So no, your corkscrew isn't retiring anytime soon—it just gets a few nights off. If pulling a cork remains an important part of your wine ritual, you'll still find plenty of opportunities throughout our collection.
At La Crema, we believe wine enjoyment is personal. Whether you're a dedicated cork enthusiast or a devoted twist-and-pour convert, there's a place for every preference at our table.
Cheers to Better Wine, However You Open It
Our transition to a screw cap comes down to one simple goal: delivering the best possible wine experience. The Sonoma Coast Chardonnay and Pinot Noir inside the bottle are the same meticulously crafted wines they've always been, made with the same passion, expertise, and attention to detail. The new closure simply adds another layer of protection, helping preserve freshness, consistency, and quality from our winery to your glass.
It's also a step that aligns with our ongoing commitment to responsible, sustainable choices. As we keep exploring ways to care for the land, lighten our environmental impact, and innovate thoughtfully, we're proud to make changes that support both wine quality and a more sustainable future.
However you open our wines—pop or twist—we're grateful to be part of your table. Here's to exceptional wine, memorable moments, and enjoying every pour with confidence.
