To Cork or Not To Cork: The Cork Controversy!

Yesterday as I was surfing the web researching some information for one of  my blogs and I came across this article on corks. I know all you professional fishers of men–ladies you know who you are– you might be wondering where the connection to fishing comes in, but I can assure you when I am talking about cork or cork taint…I’m not referring to fishing bobbers or men!

As of the past few years using cork as wine stoppers has been frowned upon and more and more wine makers are switching to synthetic aluminum screwcaps or other alternatives due to the pressure and as a result this has caused the great cork controversy.

Was a it a quick judgment call gone bad without the facts by our noble green friends?

On that note cork manufacturer Amorim conducted a study “Analysis of the life cycle of Cork, Aluminum and Plastic Wine Closures,” which resulted in findings that cork is the most environmentally responsible stopper!

The study “Analysis of the life cycle of Cork, Aluminum and Plastic Wine Closures,” commissioned by cork manufacturer Amorim and made public in December 2008, concluded that cork is the most environmentally responsible stopper, in a one-year life cycle analysis comparison with the plastic stoppers and aluminum screwcaps. -Compliments of Wikipedia

I found the entire article incredibly interesting, yeah I know I am a geek, and educational. For example, did you know that 50% of all cork comes from Portugal? Or that while screwcaps eliminate trichloroanisole (TCA/cork taint), it reduces oxygen exchange to zero. Everyone knows that in order for wine to age correctly it needs to interact with oxygen. Essentially what they are saying is that not only are screw caps environmentally unfriendly they reduce the quality in your yummy wines.

Go ahead read the article for yourself and share what you learned: Wikipedia! Makes for great wine trivia!

Be cork responsible and recycle! Take your used corks to the nearest Whole Foods where they go to great extents to have a recycle bin just for corks in their wine section! Thanks Whole Foods!

Additional Comments from Lucia an Italian Vintner:
Quercus suber. The cork tree grows naturally in a region bordering the western Mediterranean Sea. The major cork producing countries include Portugal, Spain, France, and Italy in Europe; and Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia in Africa.

Without a doubt, cork stoppers are the best solution for wines that need some ageing. For very young wines, wines that are to be consumed within a year or two, the screw caps could be just fine. Amorin which is a very good and serious cork producer does well in advocating the use of the cork; they are always doing valid research. However, there is so much wine being made now that whereas years ago the cork used to be harvested every 9 to 7 years, now (for most corks) is down to even 4. Corks are getting very expensive, they cost as much as a bottle and producers are often faced with cork problems. Perhaps, if screw caps were used for younger wines (vini d’annata in Italian) the wine would not suffer and there would be a greater supply of really good corks for the wines that need and merit aging. Compliments of Lucia, Vintner at  Villa Monteleone Winery in Italy