Champagne’s ‘pop’ to live on with world-first metal closure

Duval-Leroy, one of France’s top champagne producers, has teamed up with Alcan to develop the metal closure, which is due to go on sale later this year.

According to its makers, the new closure will still give the evocative ‘pop’ sound of the traditional corks that it will replace.

Alcan spokeswoman Chrystele Ivins told Packaging News that the new closure would retain the sound when opened and would not resemble the standard screw-cap that has become commonplace for still wines, especially those from the New World.

A limited number of the closures, details of which are so far minimal, will be launched on the Duval-Leroy’s Clos des Bouveries range next month.

However, according to French newspaper Le Figaro, the destination of the bottles featuring the metal closure will remain under wraps and the launch will look to test the market rather than replace the traditional cork.

Alcan has described the closure as “revolutionary” but has not released any further details on the product. The group is already a major producer of screw-tops under its Stelvin brand.