February 2012 issue

Natural cork remains the overwhelming choice for U.S. wine drinkers because it conveys higher quality than alternative closures, according to results of a recent survey by Tragon Corp., commissioned by the cork industry.

Ninety-four percent of respondents in a survey said they would be more likely to purchase wine with natural cork while 93 percent said natural cork conveys high or very high quality.

The study also showed that the type of closure used on a wine bottle is important in terms of consumer purchase preference. In fact, the type closure used on…

Move is Part of The Recording Academy®‘s Sustainability Program

On Site Corks Bins will Promote Recycling

—For the second consecutive year, natural cork will be in the spotlight at the GRAMMY Awards.® Maintaining its commitment to sustainability, the 54th GRAMMY Awards will host two events featuring wines sealed exclusively with natural cork and will recycle the closures. Natural cork is biodegradable, recyclable and sustainable, and its use encourages the stewardship of cork oak forests that offset carbon pollution.

The awards show will take place at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles and will air on CBS at 8/7 p.m.…

Wine drinkers that seriously prefer cork closures in their bottles can find out what they’re getting into by downloading a new app to their smartphones.

The CorkWatch App allows users to search a database of more than 1,700 wines to identify whether or not the bottle at hand is sealed with natural cork. Users also can enter the names of new wines into a database and indicate the type of closure by brand and varietal.

The application was developed by Cork Quality Council, the Napa-based nonprofit that promotes cork education and quality; and ReCORK, a natural wine…

Finding out what’s under the foil just got a lot easier.  Now when cork lovers shop their favorite wine aisle they can employ the new CorkWatch App on their smart phones or tablets to ensure the wine they purchase is sealed with the real deal.

The app, developed by the Cork Quality Council and ReCork, allows users to search a database of more than 1,700 wines that identifies which ones are sealed with natural cork.  Users can also enter the names of new wines into a database and indicate the type of closure by brand and varietal.

The…

By PATRICK BERKERY

Further proof there is truly an app for everything: the new CorkWatch App, which allows wine lovers to ensure the wine they purchase is sealed with natural cork.
The app, developed by the Cork Quality Council and ReCork, allows users to search a database of more than 1,700 wines that identifies which ones are sealed with natural cork. Users can also enter the names of new wines into a database and indicate the type of closure by brand and varietal.
As for why a natural cork seal is so important, well, it’s…

By Cyril Penn

The new Tragon closure study—where 94 percent of U.S. consumers favored natural cork and the closure used on a wine bottle was the most important factor in terms of the purchasing decision—also asked consumers to rate closures by usage occasions. Since Tragon conducted similar studies in 2004 and 2007, the results were trended over time. I don’t think there’s much, if any, research out there where consumers rated closures by usage occasion.

Natural cork was “most appropriate” for a dinner party, to give as a gift and for special occasions and all three types of…