Haselgrove, an Australian premium wine producer, is one of the latest wineries to make public its decision to go back to using cork stoppers after a period of experimentation with screwcaps. It justified the decision with the need for a closure which contributes to the proper ageing of its wines, some of which command prices of around 90 euros per bottle.
Besides, the change will enable it to profit from the widely acknowledged status associated with cork stoppers in China, one of the world markets with highest potential for growth in terms of wine consumption. According to Ryan Kinghorn, CEO of Haselgrove, "Cork is the only closure which enables me to market my wine as a premium product in this market. (...) For us, Corticeira Amorim is a market leader in terms of innovation in product quality, so we have great confidence in cork stoppers for our wine bottles, whether they are intended for export or domestic consumption".
Back in 2011, South African producer Klein Constantia chose to return to cork for its Perdeblokke Sauvignon Blanc 2010 after using screwcaps for three years.
An oenologist for the brand at the time, Adam Mason, summed up the decision as follows: "By bottling our wine under screwcaps, we were lowering the wine's quality".
In Australia, after a five-year stint with screwcaps, Rusden Wines is also returning to cork. "It became clear that cork is best for our wines", explains oenologist Christian Canute, adding that it is the only way to deal with the reduced aroma problems experienced with screwcaps.
In New Zealand, historically a bastion of artificial closures, similar movements can be observed. According to Tony Bish, oenologist at Sacred Hill, one of the main advantages of cork compared to alternative closures is the security it offers for wines requiring long ageing periods. Bish acknowledges that enormous progress has been made in recent years with regard to the quality of cork stoppers, motivating many brands to consider a return to this natural solution.
A leading role in the increase in end quality of cork stoppers, recognised and valued by producers and consumers alike, has been played by Corticeira Amorim since the late '90s, when it began setting up internal research and development (R&D) teams and investing in state-of-the-art technology to ensure the quality of its product. In figures: Corticeira Amorim possesses 16 chromatographs which enable it to conduct the most sophisticated chemical analyses in the world. In the last ten years, the company has invested over 50 million euros in R&D and Innovation.
Cork stoppers are currently recognised by the world's leading wine critics as a benchmark of quality. In China, surveys show that the overwhelming majority of wine consumers associate screwcaps with low quality wines, and according to a study by Tragon Corporation 93% of US consumers believe that cork stoppers give wine a quality status.
Also in the US, according to consultants AC Nielsen, among the 100 highest selling wines in the US, the average price of bottles closed with cork is 1.10 dollars higher than those using artificial sealants, demonstrating the value, acknowledged by consumers, which cork adds to wine.
