Wine Drinkers - Natural cork, synthetic cork or screw on caps?

[The Count of Merkur Cristo]

Forgive me if this Thread as already be addressed, but in regard to wines (and fortified), which type of cork do you prefer and why?

I, for one favor natural cork because natural cork (Portugal and southern Spain), "has been used for over 400 years and removing cork (i.e., bark from cork trees), does not kill the trees...it' is a renewable resource (all green)".

Read More: http://www.cellaraiders.com/NaturalCorkSyntheticCorkScrewCaps.php

"In wine, there's truth". Pliny the Elder, "Natural History"

 

[Mick]

Natural cork. I've seen more and more wines come with make believe cork. I'm not impressed.

 

[blary54]

I always like natural cork in my bottles. I actually collect the corks throw them in a big glass vase that is displayed in my kitchen as a decoration, looks pretty cool. Always disappointing when I get a synthetic cork...although I buy cheap wine so it happens often .

 

[coloradomonkey]

Natural cork is a better experience; however, synthetic is becoming the standard I think. Less likely to spoil.

 

[Shaving_CHENG]

Screw tops have been shown to be a better barrier for between your wine and the world around you. Between natural and synthetic, I'd got for the better experience with a natural cork.

 

[GreekGuy]

While I enjoy the charm of natural cork, I think the other 2 options are superior from a functional standpoint.

 

[Mad Man]

Having over 400 bottles in a cellar with stock going back to the late 80s I am a BIG fan of Stelvin (screw caps). Whilst lacking the "romance" of cork it means a LOT less booze getting poured down the sink for being corked.

 

[Luc]

Pretty much any of them. Having a cork or screw cap is not a reference on the quality of the product. The charm of opening a bottle that has a cork is great and I love that. But I won't judge the content by the medium that keeps it inside the bottle. A screw cap will keep the wine longer than a cork. The chances of having a "bad bottle" a reduced greatly with a screw cap. It's not the same, if they could make it work like a cork, it would be heaven!

 

[chuckr9]

I like the tradition of natural cork - just like traditional straight razor shaving.

 

[Nosduj]

I always like natural cork in my bottles. I actually collect the corks throw them in a big glass vase that is displayed in my kitchen as a decoration, looks pretty cool. Always disappointing when I get a synthetic cork...although I buy cheap wine so it happens often .

I like natural cork as well, and keep them for decoration/ craft projects around the house, I made this a few months ago.

 

[Indigo3]

I really don't mind now, sure the ceremony is lost with screw-top's but I'm used to them. My father used to bottle his homemade wine with screw-top soda bottles thirty years ago so he was in someways a pioneer unfortunately his wine was mostly terrible whatever bottling method he chose.

 

[Samurai-5]

I forgot who said it........"Screw tops are superior, but if you want to get laid you better have a cork."

 

[Haggises]

It really doesn't matter to me which way they arrive - so long as the wine is good.
Natural cork doesn't really have any advantages over synthetic or screw other than:
1. It's traditional innit?
2. Floating bits of cork add to your dietary fiber intake.
3. Lovers of 2,4,6 - trichloroanisole

 

[Perrito-Incognito]

While I enjoy the charm of natural cork, I think the other 2 options are superior from a functional standpoint.

+1

 

[acesn8s]

No preference.

 

[JoshuaNY]

I like natural cork because I collect them. But other then that it doesnt matter. I see more and more screw caps all of the time.

 

[The Zigster]

I make my own wine and have used both natural and synthetic (but not screw tops). Synthetic gives me better results and less spoilage.

 

[tda003]

Natural cork is a better experience; however, synthetic is becoming the standard I think. Less likely to spoil.

+1 on screw tops. However, estheticly, I'm a cork man. Realisticly, I don't generally keep wine around long enough for the container to matter. Screw tops on champagne would truly frighten me.

 

[JHCC]

A natural cork's only real advantage is that you can't cork a blade with a synthetic cork or a screw cap.

 

[rajagra]

As awful as it sounds, I have bought wine in a box. The wine itself is unremarkable, but the logic of using an airtight foil bag with a tap held in a box is good.
I wouldn't want a guest to see it though, let alone drink it. I only drink it for the health benefits (resveratrol). I sip a small glass of it near the end of my weightlifting sessions while listening to classical music. It tastes OK under those conditions.