That is the Question!<\/strong><\/p>\n The lively debate of cork vs. synthetic vs. screw top closures is all around us!\u00a0Vintners, Distributors, Farmers, Sommeliers, Consumers….everyone seems to have an opinion on the subject, and the reasons behind them are as varied as my wine group’s taste in Pinot Noirs.\u00a0 Here’s a quick rundown of the merits and drawbacks of different wine closures:<\/p>\n Pros: Cork has a long history; it has been used as the sealing method of choice in winemaking\u00a0for\u00a0over\u00a0400\u00a0years.\u00a0Cork is\u00a0a renewable resource (the trees are not killed when the bark is stripped to make cork). They\u0092 are\u00a0natural\u00a0\u00a0 and readily biodegradable.\u00a0\u00a0Cork production\u00a0and use\u00a0supports an entire industry\u00a0of\u00a0corkscrews and other cork-removal products, not to mention those who farm the trees and make the actual\u00a0corks. Plus you have the style factor –\u00a0proper wine service in a restaurant setting is\u00a0a delightful\u00a0experience, which may lose some of its magic with a screw cap.<\/p>\n Cons: Wine Corks go bad, more often than you may believe. Estimates vary depending on which figures you credit, but the fact is that as little as 1% or as much as 20% of all wine sold is “\u0093corked”,\u0094 which is to say, damaged by a problematic cork. Wine corks can be difficult to remove, and sometimes break off into the bottle. Also, cork is not cheap. You’re paying upwards of $1 per bottle for that cork.<\/p>\n![\"Corktree\"](\"http:\/\/www.breakaway-tours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/Corktree.jpg\")
<\/a>\u00a0\u00a0 Wine Corks: Tradition and Ritual<\/strong><\/p>\n