To Cork or Uncork, That's the Question. By Bruno Buelens Thursday, 28th May 2009

As life goes on and centuries pass, the world evolves, for the better and for the worse and as I am of the opinion that life has to be enjoyed, one needs to be open to accept and evolve in the same way, sometimes for the better, and sometimes for the worse.

It is no different in the wine world. Even though it remains a world of tradition and respect for the past, one cannot stand still and stop evolution. It's just a matter of evolutionary flow one can't escape. And let's be honest, what is a bottle with nothing in it?.No flow, an empty glass container, ready to be recycled for the better... or for the worse.

One respondent in a recent survey stated that the cork was top technology... from 500 years ago. No need to reveal he was a 'screw cap fanatic', ready to defend his truth and beliefs. But isn't this also what traditional 'cork die hards' do? Can you tell me who holds the absolute truth and beliefs? Or better, the sole absolute truth? Impossible, as everyone has some kind of truth, either his own personal truth or a general truth.

Depending on the inspiration, tradition and beliefs of the winemaker, his commercial team, the specific market,... some kind of reason will prevail. The question remains: who of the three will decide? My guess? At the end of the day it is the consumer who decides, by rational reason and emotional judgement.

Yes, the cork has a great tradition and has been used for centuries. And wines stored in a proper way have given many people many joyful moments.

But part of evolution is that the consumer has become more wise and knowledgeable about wine, its qualities and defects. Value for money, quality deliverance and hopes to the fullest expectations.  And if the cork industry has developed better quality and more output over the years, the screw cap has definitely gained a position for a clear technical reason. It's simple - a wine with a screw cap cannot become corked. And for the practical or “lazy” people, it's easier and faster to open than the bottle with a cork. Most waiters   don't open a bottle at the table. Safer to present the bottle and swiftly head behind the bar, just in case they mess (the cork) up So where is my cork charm if I cannot witness, see and feel it in full culinary ecstasy at my table? After all, culinary restaurants are a source of entertainment or at least they should be.

But what does a screw cap communicate? For some, it is just a closure, for others a lack of charm. Fruit juice! Low quality. Is this right? Like in all things, it will take time to get the facts right. Many years of experiments seem to offer good results. And like in all new things, some features will turn out okay, others will not.

I admit, I am not an engineer. I am a wine lover and observer of how people react to both cork and cap. And my personal belief is meaningless in an ocean of zillions of truths. At the end of the day I know what I want and expect from a bottle of wine. This should make winemakers, commercial teams and the market reflect on what they want, and even more, expect from this divine   fluid called wine.

The only thing that matters is, respect for tradition and open mind for new solutions. So I guess we end up where we started. A choice for one's true beliefs, in wine, in commercial approach and last but not least in the consumers market.

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