Cork oak (Quercus suber) is an extraordinary tree species found mainly in the Western Mediterranean Basin. These oak trees produce a thick bark that can be stripped off, without harming any part of the tree. The first stripping happens when the cork oak is 25 years, then reoccurs every 9 years. In the first two harvests, the bark is hard and has a very irregular structure. By the third stripping, the bark is now ready to become a high-quality cork closure.
After harvest, cork bark goes through a series of processes to become the cork stopper we are familiar with in wine bottles. Depending on the type of stopper produced, the process can vary. Natural cork stoppers are punched from a single strip of cork. The leftover cork granules are then used to create agglomerated and micro-agglomerated stoppers. Technical corks are made up of agglomerated bodies with natural cork discs applied both to the ends.
Unused corks, scraps, bark, and dust are collected for processing into other cork products – from insulation on spaceships, construction materials, and even using cork dust to power the cork cleansing machines. Nothing from the cork tree is wasted, making cork the most environmentally friendly closure in the industry.
The bark is sliced into long strips to
prepare for punching into corks.
Trees are marked with the last digit of the year it was harvested.
Natural corks are hand punched to ensure the best part of the bark is being utilized.
Natural
Natural wine corks are
preferred for all types of
wine, aging periods and
bottle formats.
Micro-Agglomerated
Micro-agglomerated
corks are produced from
steam and pressure
treated, uniformly-sized
micro-granules.
1 + 1 Technical
Steam and pressure-
treated agglomerated
cork granules with a high
quality natural cork disk
at each end.
Sparkling Wine
Agglomerated cork body
with two disks of solid
natural cork that comes
in contact with the wine.
