Cork vs. Screw Cap Wines

Traditionally, wine is sealed with cork. It would form to the shape of the wine bottle and provide a seal to stand the test of time. In 2019 however, screw caps are slowly becoming more and more common!

There are arguments for both styles of sealing wine, so let’s talk cork vs. screw caps, the pros and cons.

Pros of Cork Stoppers: 

1. Eco-friendly – The trees used to produce corks are capable of regenerating their bark and allowing harvest every decade. Each tree lives up to 200 years, meaning that each tree can provide corks for thousands of bottles! As a natural product, corks are COMPOSTABLE and can be disposed of with your other composts like fruit peels, egg shells, and coffee grinds. This makes cork an eco-friendly and sustainable option for sealing your precious wines. (However, please note the difference between natural and synthetic wine corks when composting.)
2. Embrace Aging – Cork wine stoppers help hold the value of wine. This is because cork is a material that allows the “perfect” amount of air through to wines as they age. We’ve all heard the phrase “aging like a fine wine” and that “wine gets better with age”, and that can be attributed specifically to cork tops where this small amount of air passing through can transform the flavour and the aroma of wines over time.
3. How Romantic – Twisting a corkscrew to open your bottle of wine is part of the fun, and wine culture globally. The romantic ritual of popping the cork from your favourite bottle of wine has aided in the continual popularity of the cork. Who else loves that sound?! When we hear it, we come running!

Pros of Screw Caps:

1. Easy on the fingers – Screw caps may lack the romantic cork pop, and finesse that comes with opening a bottle of wine. However, they are way easier to operate! There’s no need to dig out your corkscrew from the bottom of the kitchen drawer, and struggle to open the bottle wine without breaking the cork! It’s as simple and a flick of the wrist and that screw cap is off, without a fuss and you’re ready to divulge into your favourite red-wine.
2. Affordable – Screw top wines are cheaper than the natural cork, although this depends on the brand and quality of the screw cap. Generally, it’s cheaper for wineries to use screw caps than it is to use corks, which means ultimately cheaper for you. Everybody wins!
3. Longevity – Screw caps limit the amount of air that interacts with the wine, resulting in a consistent taste for you, the consumer. No more corked wine, or “cork taint” as some say! This is due to the lack of oxygen that makes it into the wine bottles, (because of the screw caps and there powerful seal). You’re less likely to have a bottle of red wine spoil when it has a screw cap, meaning, your wines lifespan will become dramatically extended. This also means there’s no hurry finish your bottle of wine. If you do want to hurry and drink it all though, we’re not judging.

Cons of Cork Stoppers: 

1. Price – Corks normally cost three times more than the screw cap. This can drive up the price of your favorite wine, and let’s face it, we all love a good deal. Corks also vary in quality and brand which further leads to varying prices.
2. Inconsistency – Since cork is a natural material, different compositions can often result in each bottle of wine tasting slightly different, due to the cork. The porousness varies between each cork, meaning the air intake is different for each bottle. This was previously mentioned as a pro to aging wine with cork tops, but in fact can also be a con as it could lead to inconsistent flavours. Ultimately, based on the attention to detail winemakers place on selecting the best corks, this is really a small concern.
3. Fragility – Naturally, corks do crumble and weaken over time. They’re made from bark after all.  Wine bottles must be kept laid on their sides in order for the cork to remain damp and strong, but if you’re like us, and haven’t always been a pro at opening cork tops, you may have broken a cork a time or two in your day… Have you ever had to fish out some leftover cork from your wine? We’d love to hear one of your most memorable stories!
4. Tainting – Over 10% of wines are subject to what is known as “cork taint”. This refers to the chemical TCA, or 2,4,6-trichloroanisole that affects wood-derived materials. Although harmless, chlorine comes into contact with fungi during the processing of the cork and causes the wine to have an aroma we’ve heard described in many ways, from “sour” to  “wet cardboard” “wet dog” and beyond… Yuck! Not a chance we’re all willing to take right?

5. Equipment Required – Last but not least, and of course the most obvious, cork tops require a corkscrew and someone who knows how to use one! Have you ever went to open a bottle of wine and found that your opener was missing in action? We’ve been there… and quite honestly this is one of our main reasons for loving a good screwtop. Camping anyone?

Cons of Screw Caps:

1. Not-So-Happy Planet – Screw caps are made from aluminum, and plastic liners, which essentially means they aren’t biodegradable. So, for all those earth-friendly wine drinkers out there, screw caps aren’t as eco-friendly as cork, as corks are recyclable!
2. Time to question aging ability – It has been questioned whether or not screw cap wines can age as well as cork stopper wines. As you know, older wines are more sought after and are expected to taste better as they age. Winemakers using cork stoppers argue the importance of natural reactions between cork and wine as a traditional and essential part of producing quality wines that are unique to the palate. Nothing has been proven yet, but some worry screw caps mean wine will take longer to reach is full potential, flavour wise.

Now for the big question. Which do you prefer, cork or screw?

Despite the differences between screw caps and cork stoppers, there are no negatives to drinking your favourite Pinot Noir, Cabernet, or Chardonnay. The only negative we can think of is red wine mouth!

Don’t be subject to embarrassing red wine stains on your teeth! Remove stains with minimal effort using Wine Nots this summer! With Wine Nots, there will be no regret after popping off the cork!

Now for the big question. Which do you prefer, cork or screw?

Despite the differences between screw caps and cork stoppers, there are no negatives to drinking your favourite Pinot Noir, Cabernet, or Chardonnay. The only negative we can think of is red wine mouth!

Don’t be subject to embarrassing red wine stains on your teeth! Remove stains with minimal effort using Wine Nots this summer! With Wine Nots, there will be no regret after popping off the cork!