For a very long time, cork was the preferred method to seal a bottle of wine. There has been much debate over the past few years as to what the best method is for sealing off a bottle, cork, plastic cork or screw caps.

Current estimates predict that roughly 6 percent of all wine bottled with a traditional cork will fall victim to TCA (2,4,6-Trichloroanisole), a bacteria that thrives in cork. Some of you might have even had a spoilt bottle of wine and not really noticed it. Even a very small amount of TCA in a bottle of wine can ruin it. Most become aware of TCA in quantities as small as 5 parts per trillion. When TCA is present in quantities high enough to be evident to a person, it comes across as ‘musty’ aromas and flavors. TCA in wine is not toxic, but the taste and aromas can be quite unsettling.

Another issue that seems to have people leaning away from traditional cork is the fact that cork can dry out and allow air to oxidize a bottle of wine. This can happen if a bottle is not stored correctly. Storing a bottle of wine on its side helps a cork remain moist and a moist cork expands better to seal the inside of the bottle. A dry cork shrinks allowing air to enter spoiling the wine. Read More→