Bottling Wine With Corks: Pros and Cons
Many wine lovers have their own theories about how to differentiate between an entry level and top tier wine. The size of the punt (the large indent at the base of the bottle), cap or cork and the label design. The truth is, many of the decisions about wine bottle manufacturing are made on the benefits of each raw material, how the packaging line is capable of packaging wine and what the producer thinks will look best. In this article we discuss the benefits and downsides of using traditional corks when bottling wine.
Pros of bottling wine with corks:
Tradition: You can’t deny it, there’s just something satisfying about winding a cork out of a bottle and hearing that pop. Bottling wine with corks is the traditional method of sealing wine bottles. Many customers love the tradition more than the convenience of a screw cap alternative.
Cellaring: Corks are great for wines that are meant to be cellared. Natural corks expand over time within the bottleneck to seal the liquid and keep the majority of oxygen out. However, corks let in tiny amounts of oxygen over time which can enhance the flavour of the wine.
Sustainability: As corks are a natural resource, they are also recyclable, renewable and biodegradable. The trees which are utilised to make corks also live for around 200 years, being harvested every 9-12 years (and are not cut down for harvest).
Cons of bottling wine with corks:
Fragility: Given that corks are made using natural resources, if the bottle of wine is going to be stored for a long period of time, it must be stored on its side so that the cork stays wet. This will prevent it from drying out and cracking once a corkscrew is used. If not cellared correctly, the product may become damaged.
Variability: a natural product comes with lots of quirks. Some corks give an additional flavour to the wines, whilst some let more air into the wine than others. It is hard to achieve absolute consistency with corks.
Cork taint: The biggest issue with corks is that around 1-3% will experience an issue known as cork tainting. This can make the flavour of the wine taste-off. There is limited testing cork manufacturers can do to test for this issue.
Ultimately, corks are a suitable method of sealing wine bottles. As with all other alternatives, there are positives and negatives associated with corks, but ultimately they seal the product and make the product safe for consumption.
We work closely with our private label wine clients to decide on the best materials to suit their wine manufacturing requirements.
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