Wine Corkage

Wine Corkage

Corkage is an important and somewhat volatile issue of debate within both the winemaker and wine consumer community. Many traditional lovers of wine prefer the old cork closure for their wine. This point of view is completely justifiable as corks can provide quality seals for wine, are relatively cheap and easy to implement and possess an irreplaceable sense of romanticism that has for centuries been associated with corked wine. On the other hand, many modern critics of corked wine present the scientific argument that mould can grow within the spores of the corks, which can affect the taste and aroma of the wine endowing it with a ‘flat’ taste.

Screw-capped wine on the other hand, has its own advantages. Providing an easy and effective way to seal, unseal and reseal wine. This means that wine can be maintained in a better state after being opened. Screw-capped closures also have the advantage of providing less breading ground for mould than corks. However, screw-capped wines have been criticized for their diminished ability to be cellared. Experts have found that screw capped wines build up sulfur dioxide and are diminished in oxygen. This imbalance, it is speculated, is due to the screw-caps’ inability to exchange gases with the external environment. This form of homeostasis within the wine can be maintained more efficiently with a cork closure, as cork facilitate diffusion and exchange of gases with the exterior of bottle.  Unfortunately, this exchange of gasses can also prove to be negative as corked wines can often become oxidized and therefore impart a weaker aroma and flavour.

In recent years the ‘Zork’ has become a competing form of closure for wines. Developed within Australia, the ‘Zork’ is made of hybrid materials which are meant to provide a greater balance of substances for the wine. However this has not yet been officially confirmed. The other advantages of the Zork is that it can be unsealed like a screw cap by twisting, and resealed like a cork, thereby providing the romantic ‘pop’ sound.

When purchasing wine it is important to consider the corkage on the bottle. If you are having a party with a wide variety of alcohol, and you expect the wine to be consumed rapidly, perhaps the screw-cap or Zork is your best alternative. Should you ponder about cellaring wine, however, the cork remains the best alternative. Yet it is important to check that the cork is of a high quality, that it does not crumple or fall apart, it does not have its own smell and that it is not overly porous.

Wine is not a simple beverage. The grapes have been laboriously picked, the juices painstakingly fermented and sealed for your enjoyment. It is important that the product that stands upon the dinner table reflects the immense amount of effort that has been put into creating the wine. Yet most significantly, you should delight in every delicate, intricate and lingering sip of the velvety fluid. Proper bottle closure can ensure this pleasing experience.