Guala Closures Australia and O-I Launch Australia’s First Screw-Capped Sparkling Wine Bottles

The new innovative screw-cap closure dubbed Viiva™, was developed locally by Guala Closures Australia in response to ongoing complaints from industry and consumers about traditional cork-closed sparkling wines including opening difficulty and loss of carbonation.



Guala Closures Australia worked in collaboration with glass manufacturer O-I to develop a bottle specifically designed to fit the closure, while maintaining a premium image and key dimensions to match existing filling lines and secondary packaging.



The unique closure system took five years to develop and significant investment in research and development to ensure it was suited to traditional 5-gas-volume sparkling wines.



De Bortoli Wines has applied the highly-anticipated Viiva™ closure and O-I bottle to its popular Trevi range which includes three varietals as well as its on-premise premium Willowglen Sparkling Brut.



Viiva™ provides greater convenience for consumers, is familiar and easy-to-open. As it can be resealed it also minimises wastage and enhances consumer value.

Guala Closure Australia’s National Sales and Marketing Manager Simon Yudelevich believes the sparkling screw-cap closure provides consumers and winemakers with significant advantages.



“For the consumer, Viiva™ is perfectly suited to sparkling wines which are popular among women who often report difficulties in opening cork-closures and resealing a bottle with alternative closures once opened,” said Mr. Yudelevich.



“Viiva™ eliminates safety issues associated with opening cork-closures and will encourage responsible consumption of alcohol as it enables consumers to drink one glass of wine, while maintaining carbonation days after opening.



“The biggest advantage for winemakers is the ability for them to work with one type of closure component helping to reduce the complexity of filling lines and improve production efficiencies.”



The new Viiva™ closure also provides additional benefits for on-premise customers and event organisers.



“This technology appeals to on-premise customers because it reduces time staff spend opening sparkling wines, a major advantage when dealing with multiple bottle openings at busy venues or events when speedy service is critical,” said Mr. Yudelevich.



“It’s also the ideal solution for venues wishing to serve sparkling wine by the glass while reducing wastage and cost.



“This technology advancement in wine bottle packaging further highlights our commitment to Australia’s wine industry and cements both Guala Closure Australia’s and O-I’s positions as two of the country’s pioneering packaging suppliers,” said Mr. Yudelevich.



O-I Australia’s Wine Business Manager James Vallance said the partnership with Guala Closures Australia combines two quality packaging components to create a one of a kind offering.



“The new Viiva™ closure together with our glass bottle, which was designed and trialled to fit the closure, is a great example of a total packaging solution which is set to take the industry by storm.”



“We’ve made the decision to convert the entire Trevi range and Willowglen Sparkling Brut exclusively to the new closure because this technology is truly ground-breaking and will put Australia’s sparkling wine industry at the forefront of innovation,” said De Bortoli Wines’ National Sales Manager Peter Yeoman.



Guala Closures Australia and O-I welcome inquiries from winemakers and brand-owners wishing to explore this distinctive packaging opportunity.