The aging of sparkling wines in the bottle is a crucial stage for the end consumers’ enjoyment of a quality product. But during that part of the process in which the wine is already in stores and supermarkets, the producer no longer has control over what happens. Indeed, how the wine will preserve mainly comes down to the stopper, temperature, humidity, and light.
This is why selecting the right stopper is so important, especially when it comes to sparkling wines. Of all the stoppers on the market, which we will look at in this article, natural cork stoppers are far and away the safest and most beneficial to ensure sparkling wines are preserved properly. We explain why.
Bottle aging sparkling wines and natural cork
Cork is a plant-based material that has been used to seal sparkling wine bottles since the 17th century. If this long history has proven anything, it is that cork provides a number of benefits for preserving sparkling wines properly.
Cork stoppers are remarkable because of the following qualities:
- They are environmentally friendly.
- They are made from a resistant yet lightweight material.
- They serve as a thermal insulator.
- They release just the right amount of oxygen that the wine needs to age naturally.
- They keep outside moisture from getting inside the bottle and spoiling the product due to the formation of mold.
With all this in mind, we are going to look at the different types of stoppers available for bottling wines, examining the pros and cons of each one.
Double-disc natural cork stopper
We’re kicking things off with the best. Without question, the best quality stopper for sparkling wine is the one with two natural cork discs. This type of stopper is composed of a body of cork granules, which can be of different sizes. Its special feature is that two natural cork discs are glued to the lower end of the stopper, which is in contact with the wine.
This means the double-disc stopper prevents leakage while not allowing the wine to come into direct contact with the agglomerate body. Thus, the wine remains inside the bottle and will only come into contact with this cork, which is a totally natural material.
Numerous studies show that this stopper allows the optimum oxygenation of the wine, releasing the right amount of oxygen slowly and regularly, while retaining the necessary carbon dioxide. The aspects above are key to guaranteeing the natural aging of the product.
Even years after bottling, wines with a stopper with these characteristics are in the best conditions to continue being a top quality product.
Single-disc natural cork stopper
This system is very similar to the one we just talked about, but it has just one natural cork disc instead of two. As you might expect, it has similar characteristics, but by removing one of the discs, the cost of each stopper is reduced.
It is also one step down in terms of quality, since the space between the wine and the agglomerate body is smaller, as is the amount of oxygen it provides.
That said, it is still a safe stopper that can preserve a good wine for a long period of time. This is the option chosen by many producers of good quality wines looking to trim costs.
Microgranulate cork stopper
This type of stopper is made from cork granules. It is a material that is obtained after laborious work that results in the formation of a kind of conglomerate. This process yields uniform stoppers, as they do not contain large pieces made up of natural cork.
In this case, the wine comes into direct contact with this agglomerate, which contains glue and additives that can pass into the sparkling wine over time. Because of this, they are usually used in wines that are to be consumed during the same year they are produced. Of course, the glue used is totally harmless to health, but it is not the best option for aging wines.
Stopper with natural cork treated with supercritical CO2.
This stopper is made up of cork granules that have been pressure treated with a supercritical CO2 fluid. This method is very common in the food industry and, in the case of cork, it is used to clean it. In fact, it removes over 150 substances that could be harmful to the wine.
Just as these potentially harmful particles are removed, many of the beneficial characteristics of cork are also lost. Since this is process is somewhat aggressive, the cork loses elasticity and plastic microspheres are needed to supplement it, which can be transferred to the sparkling wine.
Consequently, these stoppers are not totally biodegradable, since they contain synthetic materials, such as the plastic microspheres we just mentioned and the polyurethane glue, which binds the mixture.
Plastic stopper
Plastic stoppers have some obvious drawbacks: they are not biodegradable, although they can be recycled, and they have almost zero porosity, which can cause the wine to suffocate. In addition, when consumers see a plastic stopper, they perceive that wine to be low quality, meaning these stoppers are not highly regarded in the wine market.
One possible advantage of this type of stopper we can mention is that it allows for more customization, with infinite color and shape options. They tend to be a cheap option, used for medium to low quality wines intended to be consumed within a short period of time.
Metal or plastic screw cap
This is the lowest quality closure system for wines on the market. Whether it is their failure to let air pass through or because they let too much air in, screw caps offer us zero control over the wine’s oxygenation once it is bottled. This hinders, and even interrupts, the aging of the wine.
We tend to find them in fortified wines or wines from wineries looking to adjust their profit margins to the absolute maximum.
Key points to remember
With everything we have covered in the article, there is no doubt that the best option for sealing a bottle of sparkling wine is to use a natural cork stopper. But it all will come down to the quality of the wine produced and its expected market run.
If we are talking about high quality wines, you should of course opt for stoppers with natural cork discs, which guarantee an optimal seal that greatly benefits wine aging.
In the case of sparkling wines, the quality of the stopper is even more important, as these wines tend to age in the bottle, and cork is a natural material that allows perfect oxygenation while protecting the wine from external agents.
It is no exaggeration to say that the optimal aging of a sparkling wine depends, ultimately, on the quality of the stopper, and only natural cork guarantees the balance required for this process.
At TESA, we have been making stoppers exclusively for sparkling wines for years, and we are well aware of the benefits that natural cork offers compared to any other type of material.
This is why we make stoppers with single and double natural cork discs, the only stoppers able to offer the optimum natural conditions and aromatic notes most highly regarded by experts.
If you would like more information, please get in touch with us. We would be delighted to help you.