Gradual Demise of Cork

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No matter how you view it, sadly the end for cork closures in wine bottles is in sight. Like so many things in our technology based world, natural materials have come under a lot of scrutiny from hygenists, biologists other ists as well as dieticians, technicians and a shedload of creeps in white lab coats.

Good news is that the time it’ll take for the foremost and traditionaliosts to changeover to metal closures will take a long time. A very long time. Bad news is it’s inevitable.

Immediately below are a few salient points from Azon.com (A to Z of Minerals). Click here to read the report about the what and why cork is on its way out of the wine industry. I think I can pick up a hint of sympathetic undertones for the traditional cork closures! I should think so too.

Here is some of what the experts say:

Background
To cork or to cap? It’s a big question for wine producers that has been rapidly fermenting among oenophiles and growers from the hallowed cellars of Bordeaux, up the slopes of sunny California and over to the relative upstarts in New Zealand’s blossoming wine industry.

Reasons for the Shift from Cork to Metal Closures
The reason for this shift from cork to metal is that an increased amount of wine is being contaminated by cork taint, leaving the wine tasting musty and dull. The culprit for this unpleasant phenomenon, which can spoil up to one in 10 bottles, is trichloroanisole (TCA), a compound formed when chlorine used for bleaching reacts with mould already growing in the cork. Humans are incredibly sensitive to the compound and can detect it even at weak dilutions of six parts per trillion. TCA can flourish in several areas of a bottling facility, such as drains and barrels, but corks pose the biggest problem.

Why are Problems with Cork on the Increase?
The problem of tainted corks is thought to be on the up because cork manufacturers are finding it increasingly hard to find supplies of good quality cork to meet demand - more wine than ever is being sold in bottles, rather than in bulk form.

Is Synthetic Cork an Alternative?
Of course, another alternative is the synthetic ‘cork’, which is already in widespread use - but some wine tasters complain of ‘plastic taint’, and many consumers find them difficult to remove.

Summary
A few French experts have stuck their necks out to sing the praises of the screw cap - but they are in the minority. Maybe when French wineries start bottling their premium Bordeaux wines with screw caps, we will know that they have achieved acceptance. In the meantime, it seems change is likely to move at the pace of a maturing fine wine - all in good time.

Gradual Demise of Cork