Oak cork

Oak cork is a type of stopper used to seal wine bottles.
It is usually made of oak material. Oak has a certain degree of elasticity and breathability, which can fit well with the bottle mouth, seal wine and other alcoholic beverages, prevent liquid leakage and oxidation, and allow a small amount of air to slowly enter, helping the wine to continue to develop and mature in the bottle.
Oak corks are widely used in the wine industry and are of great significance in maintaining the quality and flavor of wine. Different types and qualities of oak can also have different effects on the aging of wine.

What are the types of oak wine bottle stoppers?
Natural oak cork: Stamped from cork oak bark, it is the most classic wine cork. It has excellent micro breathability, which helps the wine mature slowly in the bottle. But this type of cork is prone to producing a cork flavor and is more expensive.
Laminated cork: It is a natural oak cork of average quality that is filled with oak powder or film to reduce the risk of wine binding with TCA.
1+1 mixed cork: composed of crushed wood and two natural oak pieces, the part that comes into contact with the wine is natural oak, with the aim of reducing the cost of the overall oak cork.

Broken wood stopper: divided into ordinary broken wood stopper and DIAM stopper. Ordinary wood stoppers have a lower cost and are usually paired with entry-level cheap wines. And DIAM stoppers can match many grades of wine.
Synthetic cork: Completely using artificial materials, achieving standardized mass production requirements to a greater extent, without causing oak cork contamination issues. This type of stopper is commonly used in dry white wine and is generally consumed in the short term.
Sparkling wine stopper: It looks like a mushroom, also known as a mushroom stopper. A regular sparkling wine cork is usually a broken wood cork, while a champagne cork is composed of two natural oak slices and other broken wood corks used for the cork body.
High tech plug: such as the Ardea Seal plug developed by Guala in Italy, which is composed of a hard support frame, a high elastic filler, and a transparent plastic cap in contact with the liquor. It utilizes the breathability of polymer materials to maintain normal breathing both inside and outside.

Here are some methods to distinguish between natural and synthetic oak stoppers:
Natural Oak Stopper:
1. The appearance usually has natural wood grain and subtle flaws, and the surface is relatively rough.
2. The texture is relatively harder and has a certain degree of elasticity.
3. It may have a faint woody smell.
Synthetic Oak Stopper:
1. The appearance is often neat, smooth, and the texture is not natural.
2. The texture may be more uniform and consistent, and the elastic feeling may be different from natural.
3. There is generally no natural wood odor.
In addition, judgment can also be made through some experience and comparison, but it requires some practical accumulation.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of synthetic oak stoppers?
The advantages of synthetic oak stoppers mainly include:
Advantages:
Low cost: It is much cheaper than natural oak cork, which is beneficial for reducing costs.
Good stability: not easily deformed or damaged by environmental factors.
High consistency: relatively consistent in quality and performance, with no individual differences that may occur with natural oak stoppers.
Avoiding cork contamination: It does not produce substances such as TCA (trichlorobenzyl ether) that cause a cork odor.
Disadvantages:
Lack of breathability: Although there is a certain degree of breathability design, there is still a gap in the natural breathability compared to natural oak stoppers, which may have a certain impact on some wines that require a slightly aerobic environment for aging.
Lack of traditional texture: In the minds of some consumers and professionals, it may not give the same “orthodox” feeling as natural oak corks.

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