Is there lead in you wine bottle neck foil (capsule)?
Wine bottle neck foil (capsules) used to be made with lead. Since lead is malleable and antimicrobial it was the perfect material to protect the wine cork from rot, insects, rodents, and even tampering. However, in 1993 the European Union and the FDA banned the use of lead in wine capsules. By 1996 leaded wine capsules were mostly phased out. If you have an older vintages and are worried about lead in your capsule there area a couple things you can do. First, cut the capsule off below the second lip of the wine bottle to prevent wine from touching the capsule when pouring. Second, wipe off the bottle after removing the capsule to clean off any possible lead residue.
With cleaner conditions in wineries these days, capsules are mostly used for branding. However, they are pricey and just end up in landfills. Don’t be surprised if you start to notice more and more vineyards skipping the capsules all together.
