Synthetic versus Natural Cork Stoppers

Synthetic Cork Stoppers – Are they truly an ideal replacement to natural cork stoppers?

In today's world of eco-friendly and natural products why are some wineries going backwards and choosing a synthetic cork made of plastic to replace the all natural cork they once used in their bottles? It doesn't make any sense. Let's look at some of the reasons:

1. Synthetic stoppers are just that, synthetic. We all want to eat healthy, drink healthy and be healthy. Why use an unnatural product in our wines? The plastic is actually coming in contact with the wine we drink. With all the fears of plastics these days, why are wineries still using these stoppers. Hasn't anyone questioned them?

2. Plastics and screwcaps are not eco-friendly. We're living in a world where we've recognized and we're finally doing something to save our earth only to have things such as wine stoppers start contributing to the problem again. From the manufacturing process of synthetic stoppers to the final product being extracted from a bottle, waste is being created. The energy as well as the materials and waste bi-products from making these stoppers is contributing to increased energy usage as well as increased waste filling up our landfills. Natural cork wine stoppers, on the other hand, use little energy to manufacture and create no waste. The cork stoppers are punched from the bark of the cork tree (which we know from previous entries regenerates itself to its productive thickness every 7-10 years). The bark that is not used to create stoppers is ground up to make other cork products – no waste. After use, natural cork stoppers are also recyclable - they are ground up to make other cork products or cut into discs to create cork mosaic tiles. Then there are the screw caps, creating additional waste and doing nothing beneficial for the environment.

3. Cork is completely natural. There is nothing synthetic about it. The cork used in wine bottles comes from the bark of the cork oak tree. The corks are punched from the bark and then cleaned and sterilized (that's the closest they come to chemicals) and then stuck into a bottle. Nothing is added to the cork and nothing is removed. The cork is as natural a product as you get.

4. Cork is a renewable natural resource. Again, as we've stated previously, after a cork tree is harvested of its bark, the bark replaces itself by growing back on the tree ready to be harvested again in about 9 years.

So why the move to the synthetic or screw-cap stopper in the first place?

There are two primary reasons that some wineries have switched to using synthetic stoppers rather than natural cork stoppers.

1. Cork Taint or the “corked” taste: Yes – there is such a thing as cork taint. Though most wineries blame it on the cork, cork taint is often due to bottling procedures, storage conditions and movement after bottling. This corked taste is due to the presence of TCA in wine. Though harmless, TCA gives off a characteristic odour that often makes the wine undrinkable. Though the incidence of cork taint is very low and newer methods of wine making are decreasing this even further, makers of newer synthetic closures and screw caps are promoting their products implying that this synthetic stopper prevents TCA. However, screw caps and synthetic corks are actually prone to sulphidisation or screwcap taint. This rotten egg-like odour is due to a chemical reaction caused when the preservative sulphur dioxide is present in excess with a lack of oxygen. Though sulphides exist naturally in wines, cork allows oxygen into the bottle which stops the smelling whereas screw caps do not.

2. Extinction or decreased supply of cork: This is absolutely a myth. There is no question about this. This is a rumor that was started when synthetic corks were introduced into the market. Consumers were questioning why the synthetic cork rather than the traditional cork stopper. Rumors began that the cork oak tree was going extinct. Manufacturers and promoters of the synthetic stopper did nothing to clarify these rumors, and the rumors continued to spread. See our post entitled “The Myth”. In all actuality, not using natural cork stoppers can have serious consequences on our environment.
   

Let's do something about this. When you drink wine, make sure its bottled with a natural cork stopper.