# Another Cork Option



## 4score (Jan 15, 2016)

Normally we bottle in the late Summer, before the Fall crush, but we have some Rose and white Zin to bottle in the near future so it was time to gather some equipment - including corks.

Many of you probably have good sources for corks but I'd thought I still share ours. We were VERY impressed with the quality of corks we got last yer from Amorim Cork America in Napa. Our contact there was Adam Sensney (415-819-6533).

I really liked their Twin Top line of corks. Twin tops means a "top" of natural cork on both ends then an agglomerated body. Very solid for up to 4-years of storage. We selected "grade-A" so we could go longer with little risk.

We have used many other corks from the local brew store to Amazon, and these corks were just superior.

Here's a little more about these corks.....

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Twin tops are a very tried and true closure for the wine market with a track record of over 20 years. The natural cork disc allows for the wine to be in contact with a natural material (the agglomerated body is formed with a binding agent/FDA approved glue) and the discs also allow for some oxygen ingress into the wine so that the wine can develop with some aging and without creating a reductive environment. The "A" grade disc is the highest classification of disc quality, assuring a winemaker fewer lenticels (holes), hardwood, and other type of defects you might see with low quality bark/cork material. 


The twin top manufacturing is tricky and requires a high level of manufacturing and skill. Proper controls have to be in place to make the agglomerated body and discs and to reduce any chance of TCA or other compounds that could alter a wines flavor. From the time you strip the bark from a tree (the tree's can be stripped of bark every 9 years, and the trees last 150-300 years), it takes approximately 12-18 months before the cork can be ready to put into a bottle. Amorim is the world's largest producer of Twin Top corks, with an annual production of around 800 million closures (4.5 billion cork closures total).


Twin Tops are a perfect solution for wineries that want to see their wines develop for an average period of 1-4 years. Because they're a manufactured wine cork, they come at a less expensive cost but retain the status of an all natural product that is good for the environment, good for winemakers, and ultimately good for the consumers.


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## Runningwolf (Jan 15, 2016)

There are many of us here using twin tops or also called 1+1 corks. You didn't mention what you had to pay for them. We are paying $.11 each and we get our own personalized branding on them.


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## Boatboy24 (Jan 15, 2016)

Thanks for sharing, 4score. As Dan mentioned, many of us are using the 1+1 corks. Curious if you can share more details such as cost, etc.


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## 4score (Jan 16, 2016)

My cost was $0.11 each as well. I ordered 1000 count so I'm not sure where the price break (if any) is.

One of their product specialists stated that we should remember not to soak these in any fluid. I asked about a quick spray of SO2 or Starsan solution and it was a definitive NO. He mentioned that the easiest thing to do, especially when partially using some out of the bag is to simply add a 1/4 TSP of SO2 to the bag and shake it (after taping the bag air tight). I think I'll try that instead of a cork-a-dor bucket setup.

Cheers


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## scram (Jan 17, 2016)

Don't understand why you wouldn't at left give em' a dunk in some SO2 solution prior to bottling...

Edit: OK, after a bit of research it seems some cork companies inject the bags with SO2. Perhaps that's the case with this company...


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## 4score (Jan 18, 2016)

That's certainly a reason (already SO2), but the gentleman I talked to was very clear that no liquids at all should be used due to problems that could come from moisture (of any type). It was news to me. I'm going from bag to bottle next time!


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## scram (Jan 18, 2016)

Hmmm... I think a bit of lube offered by the solution aided in cork insertion. You know how it is... I'll continue to give my corks a swim in the SO2 before bottling...


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## dralarms (Jan 18, 2016)

scram said:


> Hmmm... I think a bit of lube offered by the solution aided in cork insertion. You know how it is... I'll continue to give my corks a swim in the SO2 before bottling...



I tried that. Had too many failures. I went back to dry insertion. No leaks that way.


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## Boatboy24 (Jan 18, 2016)

dralarms said:


> I went back to dry insertion. No leaks that way.



Must. Resist. Attempts. At. Humor!! ::


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## dralarms (Jan 18, 2016)

Boatboy24 said:


> Must. Resist. Attempts. At. Humor!! ::



Figued I'd get you there.


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## Boatboy24 (Jan 19, 2016)

dralarms said:


> Figued I'd get you there.



As my wife often tells me, I don't need any help. My mind naturally takes any subject there.


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## JimmyT (Jan 19, 2016)

Boatboy24 said:


> As my wife often tells me, I don't need any help. My mind naturally takes any subject there.




Same here. I work in a shop and it's all guys. Everything you say can and will get twisted into a sexual innuendo of some sort. I hear "that's what she said" too many times to count. The main thing I'm trying to get out of the habit of is having a potty mouth. Now that I have a two year old that likes to repeat everything, I have to watch. I had a couple friends that I work with come over for a bottling party a few months back and they found out just how much they actually curse. When you try to not say bad words you realize how much you actually say them. It was funny to watch them realize it or studder mid word trying not to.


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