Definition: Cork or capsule?

One of the distinctive features of Laroche wines in Chablis is that some are presented with screw caps. A large part of the production has adopted this type of closure since 2003, including the grands crus of Chablis: a first in the small world of wine, which has caused quite a stir!

Why such a radical choice?

Firstly, for economic reasons. The production of quality cork is becoming increasingly scarce due to rising demand, and the wine industry is finding it increasingly difficult to source quality corks. At the same time – and as a corollary – the famous "cork taint", largely due to lower quality raw materials than before, is increasing significantly. Today, it is estimated that 5 to 10% of wines are corked. It would have been inconceivable for producers to expose consumers to such risks...

Then there is the question of preservation. Numerous comparative tastings have demonstrated the advantages of screw cap closures. The wine retains more of its freshness, ages less quickly (a major advance for old vintages!) and, above all, of course, there is no taste of cork at all. As for the famous cliché about wine breathing, Australian oenologist James Halliday explains that "many people are mistaken in believing that screw caps block the ageing process. There is enough oxygen in the wine and in the neck between the disc and the cap to cause maturation. And the most interesting ones develop anaerobically, without oxygen."

Easy to open, the cap also makes it easy to reseal an opened bottle. Another advantage is that bottles can be stored lying down, standing up or even upside down. And for those who love the "pop" of opening a bottle, there's always decanting!

The cork market economy: a blocked future?

Cork oak forests are found throughout the Mediterranean basin: Portugal (670,000 ha), Spain (480,000 ha), Morocco and Algeria (400,000 ha each) and Tunisia (100,000 ha).

Many Portuguese producers have diversified their sources of supply to maintain their dominance in a thriving sector worth €900 million per year.

As with vines, cork oak trees need to reach a certain level of maturity before they can be harvested (minimum age 25 years). Cork is only harvested once every 10 years until the tree reaches an advanced age of around 170 years.

The average annual harvest from a forestry operation is around 230 kg per hectare. Only 15% of the material is used to make fine wine corks, which accounts for two-thirds of a landowner's income.

The volume of cork stoppers is estimated at between 13 and 14 billion units. This has led to tensions in the supply of raw materials, prompting producers to intensify harvesting, shorten development and maturity times, and incorporate more porous, less flexible and less dense materials.

Source: iDealwine - Newsletter publishing service - copyright - iDealwine.com S.A. 2008 - Internet links: