Capsule

/KAP-sul/

The foil or plastic covering over a wine bottle's cork.

Full Definition

The capsule is the protective covering over a wine bottle's closure, originally made of lead (now banned for wine), currently tin, aluminum, or plastic. It protects the cork from damage and pests, and serves as a tamper indicator. Some natural wine producers skip capsules entirely.

Related Terms

closure cork screwcap

See Also

bottle packaging

Cap Back to Glossary Carbonic Maceration

More terms starting with C

Canopy Management

Techniques to control vine leaf and shoot growth.

Carbonic Maceration

Whole-grape fermentation in CO2, producing fruity wines.

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Spanish sparkling wine made by traditional method.

Cellaring

Storing wine under proper conditions for aging.

Chai

French term for an above-ground wine storage building.

Champagne

Sparkling wine from the Champagne region of France.