Home / Wine Guide / The Back Label
CORK OR STELVIN, THE DEBATE CONTINUES
The unpleasant experience commonly known as 'cork taint' has unfortunately afflicted us all at one time or another - there is nothing worse than watching the contents of a formerly prized bottle swill around the kitchen sink...
Words by: CHRISTOPHER TOPHAM-SMITH.
Assistant Manager.Corney & Barrow Newmarket
The prolonged 'debate' over natural cork and alternative closures can regularly witness exchanges of vitriol that make the Middle East peace process appear really rather civilised. So what is all the fuss actually about?
We asked Christopher Topham-Smith, Assistant Manager of Corney & Barrow Newmarket, to clear things up for us.
THE PROBLEMS
WHAT IS CORK TAINT?
The result of a complex chemical reaction between chlorophenols and microscopic fungi, cork taint is usually caused by a compound called 2,4,6-trichloroanisole (or TCA) which basically renders wine out of condition (in a smart restaurant) or absolutely filthy (to you and me).
WHERE DOES CORK TAINT COME FROM?
The term 'cork taint' is something of a misnomer: while the pollutant finds a comfortable home in natural cork it can be found throughout nature. TCA can also affect wine sealed with alternative closures, soft drinks and even mineral water. It may equally originate from sources including contaminated winery or bottling equipment.
HOW DO I TELL IF A WINE IS CORKED?
The most reliable indicator of cork taint is a musty smell and taste, often described as 'damp cardboard', but it may simply not show at its best.
CAN I IDENTIFY A CORKED BOTTLE BEFORE OPENING?
Cork taint is invisible and seemingly manifests itself at random after bottle closure (although some studies suggest that white wine is more vulnerable). The physical condition of the cork is irrelevant (even with older wines where the cork may break or disintegrate completely), but cork taint is markedly increased in wines bottled with 'sandwich' composite or 'prechewed' agglomerate corks.
WHAT DO I DO WITH CORKED WINE?
Any reputable merchant will replace it without question, although they may have to refund the value at
purchase for older vintages or unusual bottles. Incidentally, lightly corked wine seems to be perfectly adequate for cooking. An old wives' tale even suggests that stuffing a polythene bag into the neck of the bottle overnight can remove much of the taint.
HOW OFTEN IS WINE CORKED?
Official estimates vary wildly: one supermarket (who by total coincidence champion screwcap closures) maintains that one bottle in three is regularly corked, while a scientific study (whose conclusions were rejected even by the cork industry) claimed around one percent are out of condition. My own research, carried out at considerable expense and personal risk on bottles ranging from wholesale Barolo (jolly good for casseroles and surprise guests) to the Bordeaux first growths (reserved for pizza and video nights with the dog), suggests something like one bottle in twenty.
TCA FACT
The amounts of TCA responsible for cork taint is minute (about two parts per trillion in white wine) but horribly potent - one gram of TCA would spoil Australia's entire annual harvest.
"No other stopper combines cork's inert nature, impermeability to liquids, flexibility, sealing ability and resilience."
AMORIM, THE WORLD'S LEADING CORK PRODUCER
"All wines closed with natural cork are tainted - it's just a matter of degree."
STEPHEN HENSCHKE, HENSCHKE ESTATES, AUSTRALIA
THE ALTERNATIVES
WHAT ARE THE ALTERNATIVES TO CORK?
There are several alternatives to natural cork, which have found support in different quarters. These include screwcaps (frequently known as Stelvin), plastic corks and crown caps.
DO ALTERNATIVE CLOSURES WORK?
Most wine sold in this country is intended to be drunk within six months, and at this level alternative
closures dramatically reduce the occurrence of cork taint. For wines that need to be kept before drinking, and in particular so-called 'investment wines', the reasoning becomes less obvious: over time alternative closures can suffer from their own faults - leakage, reduction (the opposite to oxidation) and vicious rumours of unpleasant 'synthetic' flavours. So while New World producers have championed screwcaps, the vast majority of the world's greatest (and lesser) wines persevere with natural cork.
WHAT ARE THE ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES?
There is no doubt that cork is ecologically friendly - in fact cork forests are growing by 4% each year - but there is no reason why the wine-drinker should tolerate a substandard product to subsidise obscure areas of central Portugal. On the other hand plastic and metal closures are rarely perceived by the consumer as representative of artisanal tradition.
WHAT NEXT?
The cork industry is developing more rigorous controls to reduce contamination and technology to eradicate cork taint (with promising results from initial trials), while screwcap bottles have finally shed their association with grubby paper bags under bridges on the North Circular. But until the definitive alternative closure appears, the conclusion seems to be "If you want to keep it, keep it in cork". C&B
