A new type of bottle closure developed by Alcoa (Worms, Germany) for wine and spirits bottles, colloquially known as a "glass cork". In 2008, the company's "Closure Systems and Packaging Machinery" division (beverage industry) was sold to "New Zealand's Rank Group". The Vino-Lok activities now run in the "Closure Systems International" division of this company. Series production started in 2004 and product development was accompanied by tests and studies carried out by scientists and wine experts from the Geisenheim University of Applied Sciences and the Oppenheim-Rheinhessen State Teaching and Research Institute. According to the manufacturer, Vino-Lok offers high product safety and taste neutrality without the risks and weaknesses of cork, especially with regard to the dreaded wine defect cork taint. The closure is also fully recyclable.
The closure is not glass on glass (that would not make a tight seal). The system consists of a closure and a cap (look, which is available in transparent, or in PVC, aluminium or tin). The cap (1) ensures the safety of the system during storage and transport. The closure (2) is made of high quality glass and is resistant to mechanical damage. The sealing ring (3) is made of "Elvax by DuPont"; this plastic does not contain any plasticisers or allergens. The closure is inserted (4) manually or by means of a semi-automatic or fully automatic filling machine. There are different sizes for bottle necks with 17.5 mm; 18.2 mm; 18.5 mm; 20.0 mm; 21.5mm and 23.0 mm. According to the manufacturer, the closure allows very low OTR values (transfer rate of oxygen). As a result, the wines develop more slowly, which has a particularly positive effect on red wines. The bottles can be opened with just one click and closed tightly again with a second click. This is clearly demonstrated in the video (click). See also other alternative closure types under closures.
