Are corks becoming a thing of the past?

In the wine world, there seems to be a big misconception about the differences between corks and screw tops.  Some people will only drink wine if it’s sealed with a cork.  Others would prefer the easiest way to open the bottle, which is the screw top.  In reality, there’s no right or wrong when it comes to the way wine is sealed.  However, there are advantages and disadvantages to both.

Corks

Advantages:

Corks have been used to seal off wine for centuries.  A corks porosity, or pores, allows the wine to breathe through the cork which contributes to chemical changes in the wine, helping it age properly.  Studies have shown that corks also bring a nice wood taste to the wine that enhances its flavor.  The cork is completely organic and brings a beautiful experience to presenting and opening wine. 

Disadvantages:

Corks are made from the bark of oak trees which takes a lot of time, effort, and money to produce.  Think about how many trees it takes to cut down in order to produce a piece of bark that is thick enough to made into a cork!  Corks can be risky!  There have been occasions when corks are tainted with Trichloroanisole which spoils and ruins wine.  In terms of the wine world, this essentially ruined bottle of wine is referred to as “corked” and occurs about 10% of the time.  Although it doesn’t happen too frequently, it is still time, effort, and wine wasted!

Screw Tops

Advantages:

Back in the day, wines with screw tops were considered to be a cheap product.  Well, that’s not the case anymore!  Screw tops are very easy to produce and are now used on pricey bottles of wine.  This more modern seal has no risk of tainting the wine.  Also, it has been known to retain the freshness of wine and can even preserve it for a longer time.  Though, wine enthusiasts may debate that this isn’t an acceptable way to help a wine age and breathe, screw top producers are now coming up with ways to accommodate these concerns.  Producers are coming up with ways to make screw tops have the ability to let the wine breathe just like corks.  As the screw tops gain popularity, corks are becoming extinct.  Screw tops are the future.

Disadvantages:

Many wine connoisseurs will argue that the cork is a vital part of changing the flavor of the wine and helping it age appropriately.  They’ll always be wine enthusiasts who are suckers for the aesthetic of the wine cork “pop”!   

My Opinion

After years of experience of working with wine, I’ve opened countless bottles with corks and with screw tops.  I think that in a quick moving restaurant environment, a screw top is very efficient and easy to open.  However, I completely agree when it comes to taking away the romance and experience when opening a bottle of wine in front of customers.  They like to see your technique on opening the bottle, the color of the cork, and they like to keep corks for memories and saving purposes.  I do think that screw tops are going to be the new future in the wine world.  Though, a cork will always have a special spot in my heart as it adds to my experience with wine.

 

Check out the YouTube video below for an overview of screw tops vs. corks!

http://bit.ly/2sYG0pe

Tips on hosting your own successful wine party

                                                                              
Tip #1: Planning

 

If you’re anything like me, you stress out big time when it comes to planning events or parties.  However, planning a DIY wine party doesn’t have to be a dreadful experience if you take it step by step.  I like to start with a notebook to make an overall outline and grocery list of the essentials that will be needed for the party.  This is your party.  You can plan it the way you want to.  If you want to add a theme such as a cocktail party or a pajama party, then let your friends know to give them enough time to prepare.  Make sure you have enough glasses for each guest and then some.  Also, it’s nice to have some kind of chalk marker so your friends can personalize their glasses.  If not, wine charms are a super cute and fun way to keep track of which glass is yours.

Tip #2: The Wine

Wine is what your party is revolved around.  So, make sure there is good variety.  This doesn’t mean that you need to go out to the store and pick up every different kind of wine because that can get expensive.  The fun part about having your friends over for a gathering is that they are most likely willing to bring something to help.  Plan your wine party as a bring your own bottle event.  If you want to get even more fancy with it, tell each friend that’s coming to bring a different varietal so you have plenty of fun, unique wines to taste.  It’s a good idea to have paper so that you can label each wine so that way your guests can remember their favorite to purchase and enjoy in the future.



                                                                         
   Tip #3: Finger Foods

Since the party is focused on an alcoholic beverage, it is important to provide an ample amount of finger foods.  I went to a wine party that my boss threw for our staff and was blown away by the platter she had set out (pictured to the left).  She found a somewhat big piece of square wood and wrapped it with black paper to construct her platform for her finger-foods.  With the black paper, you can use a chalk marker to make labels of each thing you’re going to put on the platter before you do it. A charcuterie platter usually consists of a variety of meats, cheeses, nuts, and whichever finger food you feel is necessary to include.  This doesn’t mean you need to go all out and buy every single type of meat, cheese, and nut out there.  Just pick a couple of your favorite or the most popular from each category.

 

Tip #4: Enjoy

Quite often, people who host parties forget to relax and enjoy themselves.  Be sure to take time out of making sure your guests are accommodated and have fun.  A wine party should be a way for you and your friends to engage in conversation, sip wine and unwind.  If you follow these tips, your wine party will quite likely be the highlight of the weekend!

There are so many different ways to throw a successful wine and cheese party.  I found a great step-by-step video on some ideas of what kind of foods should be put on your charcuterie board. http://bit.ly/2EO4XGi