What are the most common wine corks?

In the process of making a wine there are several factors involved that are necessary to take into account, since they directly affect the quality and character of the final product. That is why, nowadays, great efforts are made to take care of even the smallest detail, including those that, in the eyes of not very expert eyes, could become irrelevant. In this sense, the fact of choosing a good stopper for wine bottles is very important. Next, we show you the influence of this piece in the production of a good wine, with special emphasis on the variety of caps that currently exist in the market and the advantages and disadvantages presented by each one.

Wine stoppers: the importance of fulfilling their function

Regardless of its material, the best wine stopper is one that preserves the product in its entirety, preventing its contents from being destroyed or starting to deteriorate. In the past, the vast majority of them were made with cork oak bark, but it is a very expensive material and does not allow its preparation in one piece. However, today, after the crisis suffered in the cork sector, is committed to the production of synthetic stoppers, with many and very good alternatives.

What are the most common wine corks?

The industry of wine closures, as in the world of wine in general, has grown by leaps and bounds thanks to the numerous technological advances. For example, as a curiosity, in the last 10 years more than 30 different types of stoppers have been created. Currently, among the most used we can find:

Glass stopper: it is one of the most innovative on the market and allows a great seal and neutrality. In addition, as a differentiating point, it brings aesthetics and elegance to the bottle. To this day, many wineries prefer it as a good and beautiful solution.

Screw cap: this is the model that offers the most possibilities for insulation. For this reason, it has traditionally been used to close bottles of young wines. ·

Natural stopper: it is the one that is manufactured entirely with cork and the most recommended is that it is a single piece. If it is of good quality, it avoids the disease of the cork and never affects the aromatic halo of the wine. However, the cost of its preparation is quite high and is constantly criticized by environmentalists.

Synthetic plug: in this case, there are two types of caps with notable differences. Injected, with polyethylene as the main material, are manufactured directly inside a mold and have regular shapes with a wide range of colors. The other type are coextruded, also polyethylene. They are produced continuously in eternal cylinders. Subsequently, they are cut according to the desired measure and, therefore, their shape is also very regular.

Plantcorc plug: for many users, it is the ideal stopper, since it combines efficiency, design and sustainability. Thanks to its composition of sugar cane biomass, it has become a true revelation in the field of plugs. •

Agglomerated and microagglomerated stopper: although it is often presented as a natural product, it does require some manipulation in its preparation. Because it contains polyurethane, which is used as a binder for its parts, it can not be recycled easily. In general, it is used in a non-specialized public that demands wine stoppers that essentially deal with aesthetic issues.

Take a look at this video that talks about how wine closures work and the possible effect they have on wine, it’s very interesting!