Natural Or Synthetic: Which Cork Works Best For Coravin Wine System?
For you to enjoy your bottle of wine up to the last drop using a wine preservation system, it is of utmost importance to know if the bottle is compatible with your device. If you own a Coravin wine opener, you probably know that it uses a patented needle to access a wine bottle through the cork and its success mainly depends on the cork’s ability to reseal.
Cork is the most widely used wine closure in the world, but not all corks are created equal. For instance, a Coravin wine preserver will work fine with natural corks but not with synthetic ones. Once accessed with the Coravin needle, synthetic corks will not reseal properly which causes oxidation in the wine bottle after some time.
To help you better understand the impact of corks in your Coravin wine system, we made a list of different types of wine corks and their characteristics.
Natural corks are made from the bark of a cork oak tree, also called Quercus suber. Known for its impermeability, buoyancy, elasticity, and fire-retardant properties, natural cork is the number one bottle closure choice for most wine producers. It seals liquid in and keeps oxygen out by expanding within the bottleneck.
This type of wine cork is made of a single piece of cork. It is perfect for long-term wine aging and works with Coravin wine openers excellently.
Composite wine corks are built from natural materials as well, but instead of a single piece of cork, they are composed of slabs, granules, or particles of cork glued together.
Synthetic corks are made of plant-based materials or petroleum-based plastic that imitates the properties of natural corks. They provide consistent oxygen transfer rates and a secure, immovable seal. Unfortunately, they are not elastic enough to reseal once punctured by the Coravin needle. In this regard, we do not recommend using your Coravin wine system in accessing bottles with synthetic cork closures.
Here are some differences between real corks (natural and composite corks) and synthetic corks:
Natural corks have microscopic pores that allow tiny amounts of air to enter and interact with the wine, transforming its flavor and aroma over time. For this reason, most winemakers prefer real corks over other wine closures for their age-worthy wines.
This is not the case with synthetic corks. Some wine connoisseurs claim that they detect a chemical odor in wines that have long been in the bottle with oil-based plastic corks.
TCA or 2,4,6-trichloroanisole is a chemical compound that affects most wood-derived materials. It is caused by chlorine coming into contact with fungi during the cork’s processing. Although it is harmless, TCA can transfer to the wine and may cause unpleasant aromas. Synthetic corks, on the contrary, are not prone to TCA taint.
Made of wood, natural cork dries out and crumbles after some time. This is why wines in the cellar are stored on their sides to keep the cork damp. But even with meticulous cellaring, the risk of cork crumbs getting into the wine is inevitable. Synthetic corks do not have this issue. They won’t degrade or break apart even after a long time.
With its elastic nature, real cork can heal and reseal easily. Unlike synthetic corks, natural and composite corks work well with the Coravin wine system.
Plastic-based synthetic corks are said to be the hardest wine closure to open and reseal. Although not the easiest to open, natural corks are more convenient to use.
Cork oak trees naturally regenerate their outer bark layer, allowing cork makers to harvest them regularly. With its renewable resources, natural cork is the most ecological and sustainable choice for sealing wine bottles. Additionally, synthetic corks are not biodegradable and recyclable.
Synthetic corks are more affordable than real ones. Depending on the quality, natural corks can be up to three times more expensive than synthetic ones.
The Coravin wine opener works with most wine corks, but we do not recommend using it with synthetic corks. It is the user’s responsibility to check the cork first before accessing a bottle with it. When used with the right cork, the Coravin wine system can preserve your wine for as long as you want. So, don’t make the mistake of wasting that good bottle.
If you have any questions or suggestions, feel free to share them in the comment section below.
If I use the coravin with a synthetic cork and leave the device IN the bottle, will it keep the wine for at least a couple day?
After I remove the foil, how do I know if it has a real cork before using the Coravin?