🍷 Wine capsule (foil)
A thin cap over the cork and the neck of the bottle.
A wine capsule is a thin cap placed over the cork on the neck of the bottle. It is made of tin, aluminium, plastic or a laminated film. The capsule covers the cork and the rim of the neck.
In the past the cork was sealed with wax, resin or pitch. This protected it from dust, insects and rodents that could gnaw a cork in a cellar. Later a metal or plastic capsule replaced the wax. It is cheaper, smoother and quicker to apply.
Today the capsule’s main roles are looks and protection. It shows that the bottle has not been opened and decorates the neck. But it is not needed to store the wine: the cork does its job without it. Many producers do without a capsule or use a thin strip instead. Before opening the bottle, the capsule is cut with the knife of the corkscrew below the lip.
The capsule is part of the cork and bottle closure. Its old replacement was sealing wax, which is still sometimes used for special wines.
What it includes
How it connects to Wine
🍷 Wine capsule (foil) → kind of → 🍷 Cork (stopper) ← association ← 🍷 Wine
Links
- Next step
- 🍷 Sealing wax
- Part of
- 🍷 Cork (stopper)
- Similar and different
- 🍷 Sealing wax
Frequently asked questions
What is the capsule on a wine bottle for?
It covers the cork, protects the neck and shows the bottle has not been opened.
What are wine capsules made of?
Tin, aluminium, plastic or laminated film.
Must the capsule be removed completely?
No, it is enough to cut the top part below the lip of the neck.
Similar
🍷 Glass stopper · 🍷 Agglomerated cork · 🍷 Sparkling wine cork · 🍷 Synthetic cork · 🍷 Screw cap · 🍷 Natural cork