Does a wine with a cork mean it’s better than a screw cap wine?

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had a table order a bottle of wine and then a look of disappointment washes over their face as I present it. “Oh a screw cap? Is this wine not good?” Now to some of you who are in the know, this question may seem to come from an old way of thinking. However, you’d be surprised how many people still believe that :

cork = good wine and screw cap = cheap wine.

I feel that most people think the cork method is best simply because it is what’s been done since the 1400s. Screw caps have only come on to the scene in the past 60 years. In terms of wine preservation, corks have proven themselves capable of handling long term aging, for the most part. Though studies are still being done, screw caps are also proving themselves to have high long term aging capabilities. 

“But a screw cap can’t breathe!”

Actually, it can! Screw caps are being made now with materials that allow oxygen permeation over time. 

What it really comes down to is money. Screw caps are a cheaper, more affordable option for wines. Now, it’s pretty hard to find wine that has been closed with 100% natural cork. Most bottles are now closed with agglomerated and colmated corks, which are low quality alternatives that bring a higher risk of cork taint. Wines that are closed with 100% natural cork are usually more expensive wines that come from well established wineries. 

So what do you think? Do you judge a wine on whether it has a screw cap or not?