Cork and Wine Inseparable by Nature
Wine is life, and cork is the closure that expands that life, protecting it over time. The relationship between wine and cork is a perfect symbiosis that has developed over the centuries. The organic nature of cork makes it an incomparable closure, vital for the evolution of wines and the development of their intrinsic qualities such as the preservation of aromas and flavours, guaranteeing an authentic and pure experience. Every time a bottle is opened, an unbreakable bond is created between winemaker, wine and consumer. Every time a bottle is sealed with a cork stopper, a real journey into wine begins.
The bond between wine and cork originated thousands of years ago and was only broken during the Middle Ages. Archaeological research shows that the Egyptians, Greeks and Romans already used cork closures, but it was Dom Pérignon, a French Benedictine who lived in the 17th century, who paved the way for an empire based on the alliance between glass (from the bottle) and cork (from the cork stopper). While contemplating the nature around him, Dom Pérignon realised that there had to be a better solution for sealing wine than the wooden stoppers used at the time. They were inefficient, obsolete and unreliable at preserving wine. So he changed them, replacing the wood with cork. And pop! An incredible new world opened up before his eyes.
The Perfect Combination: Cork and Wine
Dom Pérignon's impetus was decisive. He publicised an extremely simple and intelligent solution, which 300 years later is still relevant today. The perfect combination: wine bottle and cork stopper, whose simultaneous development made the emergence of the modern wine industry possible. But what makes cork stoppers so special? Why are they the best closure for wine?
The answer is as intuitive as it is scientifically proven. A closer look at this magical cylinder can be a good start. Each cork stopper is a sophisticated natural valve made up of 800 million tiny cells composed essentially of suberin, filled with an air-like gas. When compressed, these cells behave like a cushion and constantly try to return to their original size and shape, adapting to the neck and maintaining an airtight seal. This process is the secret of cork's excellence as a closure.
The union between wine and cork is natural. The cork stopper is responsible for preserving the qualities of the wine for decades, providing a perfect seal that allows for optimum maturation.
“Wine is life. Life bottled and life spread. It’s an intellectual reflection, a dialogue between man and nature. Cork is probably the most magical element. It’s an organic, expansive element. It’s a guardian of treasures and the first confidant of what’s inside. Cork symbolizes naturalness and life expanded in order to close, and ensure closure of the messages hidden inside the bottle”
A Wine Sealed with Cork Simply Tastes Better
Our senses instinctively tell us that a wine sealed with a cork stopper simply tastes better, but science confirms this with concrete evidence. Research from the University of Bordeaux shows that cork plays an essential role in the evolution of wine.
The secret lies in the innate qualities of the cork stopper - light, compressible, impermeable, resistant to humidity and rot, and extremely durable. These characteristics make it the only closure that truly respects the maturation of wine, preventing it from deteriorating over time and allowing it to evolve in the best possible way.
The Mystery of How Cork Stoppers Interact with Wine
Sometimes the preservation capacity of cork stoppers defies imagination. One notable example was the discovery of 168 perfectly preserved bottles of champagne shipwrecked in the Baltic Sea 200 years ago. This find irrefutably proves the preservation power of cork.
For a long time, the interaction between cork stoppers and wine was shrouded in mystery, generating various myths. One of the most common misconceptions was the belief that the cork was ‘permeable’, allowing the wine to breathe. However, recent research disproves this idea. After bottling, it is the oxygen inside the cork stopper, not the outside air, that circulates and interacts with the wine, contributing to its evolution. The action of the cork on the wine's compounds, such as phenolics, makes the wine more complex and interesting over time.
“We know that there is an exchange between wine and the cork stopper. The cork stopper must be perfect to allow this exchange to happen in the best way possible so that the wine gets better with time. Just as wine, cork stoppers have a story. A life cycle that begins at the cork oak forest, undergoes a technical process and ends in a bottle of wine"
Cork and wine are two incredible gifts from nature
Regardless of scientific advances in our knowledge of wine, cork and the symbiotic relationship between the two, some things transcend rational explanation. Emotion comes into play, intuition plays its part, and memories, dreams and sensations emerge. While it's clear that the world's best wines have always recognised the superiority of cork as a closure, the irresistible appeal of cork to consumers, including Millennials who are just beginning to discover wine, is equally relevant.
Recent research highlights the added value of cork stoppers in the world of wine, and how this solution significantly influences consumer perception. Globally, from France to China, from the United States to Argentina, cork stoppers are constantly associated with high-quality wines.
In addition, various studies show that both producers and consumers prefer cork because it is a natural and sustainable material. Premium and ecological, cork offers the best of both worlds.
Cork and wine are two of nature's treasures, united over time. They have grown together, reinforcing each other. Only a bottle sealed with a cork stopper allows wine to reach its maximum expression and all its splendour.
Cork and wine are two of nature's treasures, united over time. They have grown together, reinforcing each other. Only a bottle sealed with a cork stopper allows wine to reach its maximum expression and all its splendour.
NDtech and NDtech Sparkling
BREAKTHROUGH TECHNOLOGIES TO DELIVER NON-DETECTABLE TCA PERFORMANCE
The world’s greenest, most efficient anti-TCA technologies for both natural whole corks and technical cork stoppers.
