Do the synthetic corks that are now being used by many wine manufacturers
seal bottles better the same or worse than real corks. I would think there
is less of an oxygen ingress.

Thanks,
Crhoff

Everything I've read it is:
1. Screw caps
2. Synthetic corks
3. natural cork from trees

in that order of better. #1 is best.
Natural cork can let in a little oxygen, but mostly it's the cork rot
potential.

DAve

Crhoff wrote:
> Do the synthetic corks that are now being used by many wine manufacturers
> seal bottles better the same or worse than real corks. I would think there
> is less of an oxygen ingress.
>
> Thanks,
> Crhoff
>
>

Crhoff wrote:
> Do the synthetic corks that are now being used by many wine manufacturers
> seal bottles better the same or worse than real corks. I would think there
> is less of an oxygen ingress.
>
> Thanks,
> Crhoff
>
>
Jury is still out... some reports say the synthetic corks better seal
for first couple of years. Some synthetics better than others.

Plastics do shrink over time, and their springiness is not retained as
well as natural cork.

YMMV again.

Gene

zork.com.au
Have a look at this site, out of interest. The site contains some
interesting comparitive oxygen permiability test results between cork,
zork and stelvin closures. I believe the product is becoming available in
USA.

No, I do not work for them. I purchased a small quantity (160) to try on
my last wine as I too am becoming disenchanted with cork. I pushed them
on by hand, having made sure my bottles met the required spec.

The conventional synthetic corks available is Australia are damaged by
the 4 compression blocks in the corker (Italian origin) and so they leak,
stelvin is for the big boys and so the choices are not great.


Regards
Ian



On Mon, 02 Jan 2006 21:25:53 -0500, Crhoff wrote:

> Do the synthetic corks that are now being used by many wine manufacturers
> seal bottles better the same or worse than real corks. I would think there
> is less of an oxygen ingress.
>
> Thanks,
> Crhoff

Very interesting. Where they expensive? Does anyone know of an internet
wine site that sells them?


"Ian Anderson" > wrote in message
news
> zork.com.au
> Have a look at this site, out of interest. The site contains some
> interesting comparitive oxygen permiability test results between cork,
> zork and stelvin closures. I believe the product is becoming available in
> USA.
>
> No, I do not work for them. I purchased a small quantity (160) to try on
> my last wine as I too am becoming disenchanted with cork. I pushed them
> on by hand, having made sure my bottles met the required spec.
>
> The conventional synthetic corks available is Australia are damaged by
> the 4 compression blocks in the corker (Italian origin) and so they leak,
> stelvin is for the big boys and so the choices are not great.
>
>
> Regards
> Ian
>
>
>
> On Mon, 02 Jan 2006 21:25:53 -0500, Crhoff wrote:
>
>> Do the synthetic corks that are now being used by many wine manufacturers
>> seal bottles better the same or worse than real corks. I would think
>> there
>> is less of an oxygen ingress.
>>
>> Thanks,
>> Crhoff
>

RE the Zorks, I purchased the minimum quantity of that 160 Zork will sell
and they cost AUD 0.44 - quite expensive. I collected them from the
manufacturer. The wine I used them on was made from premium grapes from
the Southern Vales in South Australia ( on the coast south of Adelaide)
and I expect it to be quite long lived. If I purchased a quantity of 1000
zorks I think the price drops to something more reasonable like AUD 0.25
each, still more expensive than cork.

Send an email to Zork and ask them what arrangements they have set up
for USA distributors.

Regards
Ian


On Tue, 03 Jan 2006 09:57:56 -0500, Crhoff wrote:

> Very interesting. Where they expensive? Does anyone know of an internet
> wine site that sells them?
>

While we're on the topic of synthetic corks has anyone ever tried reusing
them ( I only reuse the ones that the corkscrew doesn't go right the way
thru)?

Frances

You could try reusing them and tell us about it. Use an ah so and let
us know.

I have always wanted to rhyme ah so.

Really people, for the amount of time that most of us keep homemade
wines any closure will work just fine. I doubt you will see much of a
difference between them.

I think the biggest issue for us would be ease of use, followed by
availability and then cost.


Now for the rare batch of wine that home wine makers make that is
supposed to age for 5 or more years, then looking into high quality
natural cork or screw tops may be warrented.

I have been using synthetic for 3 years now and have not had a problem with
them. I had heard that they were hard to insert but my floor corker has no
trouble with them.
I had heard that they are hard to extract. My angle wing extractors have
had no trouble with them.
I had not heard that they were hard to reinsert if you want to put the cork
back in and put the bottle in the fridge. They are. Some one said that
they may shrink or loose their elasticity with time. They certainly seem to
spring back to original size after a few years.

Ray

"Crhoff" > wrote in message
...
> Do the synthetic corks that are now being used by many wine manufacturers
> seal bottles better the same or worse than real corks. I would think
> there is less of an oxygen ingress.
>
> Thanks,
> Crhoff
>

My experience is similar to Ray's. I prefer NomaCorc to anything else
at this point. Most of my wine is gone in 5 years as others mentioned
previously but I have 9 year old Mead's under real cork right now. If
the Nomacorc holds up for 5 years I will be satisfied. So far I know I
have some under Nomacorc for at least 2 years; I have to look later to
see if any are older. Keep in mind when they talk about screw caps
the usually mean a Stelvin which is rolled on by a machine...

Joe