This second instalment is devoted to corks. Noted wine expert and historian Hugh Johnson has concluded from his research that the use of corks as stoppers for wine containers started in the 17th century. Since then, the cork has become the only acceptable closure for premium wines the world over. Wine corks are made from the bark of the cork oak tree. Most of the world's cork oaks are grown in Portugal, and every 9-10 years, the bark of each tree is methodically peeled off, dried, washed and graded.
Individual corks are machine punched from the prepared bark sheets.
Corks come in many different sizes, grades and qualities. They can be subjected to various treatments including dyes, chlorine bleach, wax or silicone. They can also be made from a composite of cork chips bonded together. Most of the corks we use are provided by the German company, G ltig, which has a factory in Portugal. Each cork costs us about 26 cents.