More on cork ... Portugal's other natural resource

[Roy Hersh]

http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases ... 35109.html

Discuss ... lots of fodder here.

[Paul Fountain]

I don't have a really strong preference either way, but I think that in Australia, depending on who you listen to, we are now up to around 80 to 90 % of current realease wine under screw cap closures. It's still quite a devisive issues here amongst some winemakers, with some staying put in the cork camp.
It really gained traction here with the riesling makers of the Clare valley in South Australia where the majority of the producers took a collective step to start using screwcap. I don't remember exactly, but I think that was about 13 years ago. It has actually got to the stage where an importer was telling me that there are some German wines that are now bottled under screwcap specifically for the Australian market.
I think there is probably room for both - Screw Cap for aromatic whites where freshness is key, and cork for everything else.
The reds took a bit longer to catch on and the fortifieds are a bit less so again.
I'm certainly in favour of cork in VPs. The theory is that under screwcap everything takes longer to age, so there would be ports out there that wouldn't be be ready to drink in our lifetime, even if we had the foresight (and cash) to buy up in our late teens and early 20s. I know I didnt (have either!)

[Eric Ifune]

I think the Germans, following the Aussies and Kiwis, have embraced screw caps more than any other European country; even for their domestic market.

[Eric Menchen]

Contrary to popular belief, cork oak trees are not cut down or harmed during the harvest.

Really? I've never met someone that believed this.

I'm all for cork, but I wonder if a mix isn't best. If every bottle of wine were under cork, could that be sustained as well along with our other priorities? And while figures are provided stating how much worse a metal screw cap with plastic seal are compared to cork, does that apply to every market? While it might make more sense to use cork in Europe, close to the source, do the same economic and environmental figures apply to Australia? Australia has lots of iron ore, but do they have cork trees?

[Paul Fountain]

As far as I know, all of our cork comes from either Spain or Portugal. I'd guess that conditions aren't right for growing cork trees here, but I don't know for sure. Maybe our conditions result in a higher rate of cork failure too, but again I'm speculating there.