Thursday's Tip

What Type of Wine Cork is Best?

Wine must be sealed to stop air from entering the bottle, which is traditionally a cork. TIP: The longest and least-marked corks are of the finest quality, including good wine suitable for aging. Plastic and reconstituted corks are inexpensive alternatives used on modest wines.

• Solid Cork - Made from Oak Bark. Sheets are treated to kill bacteria, then corks are stamped out.
• Reconstituted Cork - Made from compressed cork chips and dust.
• Plastic Corks - Hard to extract and does not age well.

(101 Essential Tips: Wine, 1997).