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Cork and Wine

Why is it that winemakers worldwide entrust cork to preserve their wine? In fact, about 70% of wines are closed with cork, including about 90% of the world’s best wines. While the relationship between wine and cork is rooted in centuries of tradition, and the romance and rituals that have evolved around opening a bottle of wine are treasured by wine lovers everywhere, winemakers are above all about making great tasting wines, and the simple fact is, cork makes wine taste better. This 100% natural, renewable and sustainable natural resource is a miracle material perfectly suited to aid in the preservation and development of wine – for winemakers, the “final piece of the puzzle” in the winemaking process.

The problem for a wine closure is how to seal a bottle yet allow in the right amount of oxygen. Too little and the wine suffers from reduction; too much and it oxidizes. Natural cork has seemingly contradictory properties of being completely impermeable to both liquid and gas while at the same time allowing oxygen into the bottle. How? Cork consists mostly of air, and it is the oxygen it contains within its cells – diffused at a predictable but non-linear rate exactly in the right amount – that interacts with the wine and allows it to reach its full potential. The classical attributes of fine wine that winemakers seek – described in terms such as ‘balanced’, ‘complex’, ‘developed’ – have all been shown to be enhanced by the use of natural cork.

Cork: Carbon Negative, Climate Positive

What makes cork even more attractive to responsible winemakers is its sustainability. The bark is harvested without damage to the tree, and immediately begins to grow back. After nine years the tree is ready to be harvested again. This process can repeat itself for up to 200 years, making cork one of the world’s most environmentally friendly and renewable natural resources. Each time the bark grows back, it removes CO2 from the atmosphere. A single harvest can produce 4000 wine corks, each of which, when factoring in cork forest CO2 sequesterization and emissions used in production, results in removing between 11 oz. and 1.25 lbs of CO2 from the atmosphere. Further, wine corks are fully recyclable and can be used in a variety of new applications, from artworks to shoes to construction materials. For these reasons, cork is an important asset in fighting climate change and desertification.

All around the Mediterranean, cork forests grow naturally and are native to the land where cork is harvested. They are perfectly adapted to the soil, the water, the geography. They both benefit from and shape the environment where they have grown for thousands of years. They are a valuable resource that provides food and habitat for indigenous mammals and birds, cover for other flora and protection against erosion and wildfires. Finally, cork farming supports rural communities with high paying agricultural jobs.

Remember: When you choose a wine sealed with cork, you are choosing better – for the wine, for the experience of drinking wine, and for the planet.