Winemaking companies have over time been strongly rooted in traditional methods of preserving wine. Use of corks to seal wines depends on the ability to make the wine reductive and be able to preserve it for a long period. However, the decision on the use of traditional cork or modern cork rests on the winemaker. In light with this, the study will discuss the benefits and disadvantages of using the traditional and modern style of corks.
Traditional Wine Corks
Most traditional wine corks fixed on wine bottles are wooden and are made from the bark of natural trees. Notably, this method is flexible and compressible with anti-slip properties thereby able to keep wine fresh and tasty for a long period. Moreover, It is recyclable as it is made of wooden material thereby suitable for long-term wine aging. However, traditional corks are susceptible to TCA taint (2, 4, 6-trichloroanisole), which contaminates the cork, causing a musty blemish in the wine (Gorman-McAdams n.p). Also, these corks have no standardized quality, therefore, making it difficult to choose from the different varieties available in the market. The increase in cork taints led to a search for alternatives from traditional wine corks to modern corks.
Modern Wine Cork
Modern corks such as Screw Caps, Synthetic Cork, And Stelvin, have in the recent years become a favorite amongst winemakers and are mostly preferred to traditional corks. Besides being reliable to preserve the quality of wine for a long time, synthetic corks give more positive results with long-term wine aging. Stelvin corks, on the other hand, are airtight thereby able to prevent oxygen reaction thus preventing any TCA attack. In contrast, these corks are made from non-biodegradable materials thereby unfriendly to the environment and may lead to increased pollution (Gorman-McAdams n.p). Furthermore, the quality of these corks is not consistent and limits the ability of the buyer to determine the best-preserved wines compared to the traditional ones.
Works Cited
Gorman-McAdams, Mary. “Wine Bottle Closures: Cork vs. Screw Cap.” Kitchn, Apartment Therapy, LLC. 19 Aug. 2018, www.thekitchn.com/wine-bottle-closures-cork-vs-s-61498.