crown caps, small metal caps used on beer and soda bottles, have proved to be a very reliable closure for long-term wine bottle storage (see Helmut becker) and provide an extremely cheap and efficient closure for any sort of wine. Many wine drinkers find their association with what they regard as less sophisticated drinks unacceptable, particularly when it comes to wine service in a restaurant, but they have been enjoying a modest renaissance with the pet-nat category. The crown cap is also used nearly universally for closing sparkling wine bottles during the tirage process; disgorging is much more difficult if a cork has to be extracted. Some sparkling wines have been released under crown seal in Australia, to avoid the possibility of cork taint.
