How can you tell the difference between synthetic and natural corks?

You can’t tell just by looking at a bottle of wine if the cork inside is natural or synthetic, but once you remove the capsule and pull the cork, it should be pretty easy. Most synthetic corks look and feel like polyethylene—they are smooth, almost like plastic, and sometimes come in non-cork colors.

What are synthetic corks?

Synthetic corks are made from plastic compounds designed to look and “pop” like natural cork, but without the risk of TCA contamination. Unlike natural corks, many synthetic corks are made from material that is not biodegradable.

Do synthetic corks breathe?

Synthetic corks can’t allow small amounts of oxygen that help age bottled wine. Yet without tiny seeps of oxygen, (which happens with natural corks, and does not happen with tight synthetic corks) most of the natural chemical reactions that occur during bottle aging simply cannot take place.

Do synthetic wine corks dry out?

While you should always store your real cork bottles on their sides to keep the corks supple and prevent leaks, the benefit of a synthetic cork is that you don’t have to worry about the cork drying out, so you can keep your bottles upright if it suits your storage needs better.

Are wine corks synthetic?

Synthetic corks are made from polyethylene, the same stuff as milk bottles and plastic pipes.

What can I do with synthetic wine corks?

Synthetic corks and screwcaps can go straight into the recycling bin. For natural cork, you’ll need to recycle them elsewhere. Or you can do what I do and put your natural corks in your compost bin. There are companies that collect natural wine corks and then turn them into anything from shoes and bags to flooring.

Are there different grades of cork?

The “Rod Builder Cork Grade Rating System” is limited to just 3 basic grades, CG1 (Cork Grade #1), CG2 and CG3. The highest grade, CG1, will be 90\% to 100\% clear and free of pits and blemishes.

How long does synthetic cork last?

Synthetic corks can be difficult to remove, which is often a problem with synthetic corks after around 18 months in the bottle.

Do you soak synthetic corks?

Like natural corks synthetic corks come in a sealed bag and you don’t need to worry about soaking or sanitizing the closures.